Forest Fire
by Harley S. Quinn
Summary: At firsts, it started with a glance between two stangers. Then, it evolved into something unexpected and irresistible which set ablaze their lifes in a way no one could have ever anticipated. But, when you play with fire, you shouldn't be surprised if you get burn...
1. Chapter 1: Cornice

_Dear Teddy,_

 _You've asked me, on multiple occasions to tell you what happened this year. I know you are worried and I know I should have informed you earlier of the situation or at least he should have, but it all happened so fast and I guess we just didn't think about informing you while it happened, because of all the drama._

 _Also, he asked me not to talk about it, but since the cat is now out of the hat, there's no point in not telling you now. He doesn't know I'm writing you this letter, but I know he'll be glad to have your support and I know you'll provide it._

 _Evidently, I wasn't aware of the situation since a few months ago, but I provide you with all the information I have learned from him, from other students and from well… the other party._

 _When I say I wasn't aware, I should say I wasn't perfectly sure, because you know I have an eye for those kinds of things, haven't I?_

 _This story first starts with a glance, a brief, hurried look. The same sort of glance you give strangers on a bus when you think they're not looking. The type of look you would never think would ignite something. For them, though, it started a fire deep within themselves._

 _Did you know that before a forest fire starts, you can look up the trees with an infrared camera and see the heat accumulating in the branches and, suddenly, when the heat gets to a certain degree, it ignites the oxygen around the tree and that's when the fire actually starts. So, even if we can't see the flames, it doesn't mean the fire has not secretly begun._

 _Like any fire it took them by surprise, but reconsidering it, it shouldn't have, because when you play with fire in a room filled with highly flammable items, you should be ready to see everything around you catch fire and, also, you should be prepared to get burned._

 _I don't want you to think I blame them in any way, I just state that, sometimes, they just seemed to be attracted to drama and suffered without reason because of it, you'll see when you read the story and I'm sure you'll agree._

 _I know what I'm telling you is hard to believe, but upon reading this story, if you still don't believe that small, brief glances can ignite forest fires, well, there's nothing I can say to convince you._

 _Kisses,_

 _Lily P._


	2. Chapter 2: Snitching the Snitch

**Chapter 2** **: Snitching the Snitch**

"You absolutely have to go!" Said Lysander in a pleading voice, while shoving the small advertising poster in the blond's face.

"Shh," Scorpius replied with a frown, looking around to make sure no one was listening. The Hogwart's library was nearly full. Lysander and Scorpius were seated at a wooden table together, he was trying to write his charms' essay, but she was babbling incessantly instead of working.

"Come on!"

Scorpius sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, pointing to his friend the fact that he was the one concerned and not her, so it shouldn't matter to her if he went or not. Also, since they were in October, they had midterm exams to prepare for. He had only studied all his subjects twice, after all.

The only reply she gave the boy was a big smile. He frowned more deeply.

"If you keep on frowning like this, you'll have wrinkles when you are twenty…" She teased.

He rolled his eyes, but kept on writing his essay, decided not to give her anymore attention, hoping she would stop harassing him this way. It seemed to work for a few seconds, because she resumed reading her potion book, but then, she opened her mouth again.

"It would be a great occasion to wear that new outfit you just bought, you know."

"I said no!" He replied a little too loudly. Several heads rose from the books they were reading and gave them displeased glances for perturbing their studies.

Not wanting to attract attention more than they already had, Scorpius took his parchments, his books and his quill, threw them in his bag and exited the library while Lysander did the same, following him. She didn't seem to notice he was trying to get away from her and even if she did, she wouldn't mind and would continue to follow him anyway.

Scorpius was heading to the Ravenclaw's tower, wishing for the girl to keep quiet, since he didn't want her to continue harassing him, but the minute they were alone in the hallway, she started to talk again.

"You can't go alone, it's in a muggle town, you wouldn't know how to interact properly." She said.

Looking around, making sure they were alone, so no one could hear what she had said, he glared at her and continued his way to their common room without uttering a word.

"Also, I really want to see this, you know, it's kind of hot…" She added, not caring about his silence.

"Then, I wish you a nice evening, because, I'm not going." He replied, facing her with a fake smile, while continuing to walk at a brisk pace.

"But, why? It's a masked ball, no one will recognize you and if you're not convinced, we can put a very light disillusionment charm on you to make sure no one notices you."

The blond shook his head; not quite believing to what extent Lysander had planned this. He wished ill to the wizard who had placed that advertising poster at The Three Broomsticks. Scorpius, Lysander and their friends had gone there a week ago and that's what started it all. Predictably enough, Lysander had seen the advertising poster pinned to the wall at the entrance of the inn and had grabbed it. Then, the minute they had been alone, she had shown it to Scorpius, excited beyond reason.

The poster was advertising a masked ball which was to take place on Halloween night, in the nearest muggle village, in a pub. There were two main problems with it. First, it was, looking at the poster, a muggle party and Scorpius was not at ease with this. Having been raised in a pure-blooded family, he didn't know much about muggles. Thinking of which, he wondered how the poster had found its way to The Three Broomsticks. Second, and more importantly, the party was taking place in a gay bar.

Scorpius had told Lysander he was gay during their fifth year, after having debated with himself for over a year. At first, she was a little disappointed, because, at the time, she had sort of a crush on him, but she quickly got over it. She was the only one he had told so far and was far from ready to come out publicly. It had been a big deal for Scorpius to tell someone about his sexual orientation, because then it made it all the more real. To cross this invisible line, made it official in his mind and even though it felt right, it was scary.

He had told her because, at the time, she was the friend he trusted the most not to judge him and to keep his secret. He knew she was not the king to tell on him. Afterwards, since she was the only one with whom he could openly talk about his feelings without being overly careful not to give something, they became really close and, if such things as best friends exist, you can say that they were, indeed, best friends.

The truth is, he didn't want to tell anyone else, because he was too damn afraid of other people's reaction. He wanted to control the information, he really didn't want his parents to know and he knew that the more people knew about him, the more chances there were his family would learn about it and he feared what consequences that might have. His parents, or more accurately his father, let's not even talk about his grandfather, were very traditional, always talking about the Malfoy legacy and so on.

Scorpius wanted to get used to his new situation before doing anything. Being theoretically gay was alright with him for the moment and already something he needed to apprehend. Lysander, on the other hand, was almost too at ease with it and was always trying to push him in all sorts of… new experiences.

"I'm just… not ready. " Whispered Scorpius, not wanting someone to eavesdrop on them.

"Ready? Ready for what exactly? Ready to go to a muggle party, masked, where no one will recognize you or even know who you are, accompanied by me? Or are you not ready to face your desires." Smirked Lysander in such a sadistic manner, that she could easily compete with any Slytherin.

Scorpius sighed heavily once again. He knew the girl wanted to be a mediwizard, but Merlin would she have made a good lawyer. She always had the right words and could persuade a dragon to take swimming lessons.

"Even if we wanted to go, it would be impossible to leave the school without being noticed, also we're underage." Said Scorpius, his tone less certain.

"So you're thinking about going, then." Cheered Lysander knowing at that point she had won over the blond to her plan.

She told the blond not to worry one bit about the way they were going to leave the school property without someone noticing, because she knew a way, she was indeed Luna Lovegood's daughter and her mother in all her special…ness had told her many interesting things about her school years.

* * *

Lily laughed mischievously has she passed just above her big brother, having glimpsed the flicker of the Snitch before him. Albus cursed and went after his red-headed sister as fast as his broom permitted him, he could hear the cheering of the crowd who never got tired of watching the brother and sister competing against one another, since they had been each appointed seeker for their team.

Albus's eyes were fixated on the red and gold outfit of his sister, her very long hair was tied in a ponytail and whirling in the wind. He couldn't see the Snitch, because he was right behind her, but he knew it was just in front of her.

The gryffindor girl hesitated one instant when the Snitch made a fast descent, but her brother had anticipated it and he dived for it at full speed, knowing this was his chance to catch it before her. She cursed loudly, diving after him, following him as they both went for it, their arms reaching for the golden ball.

"Mom would not be happy to hear you curse this way." Albus mocked while reaching to grab the Snitch who was just in front of him.

At the same time, his sister passed right in front of him and he suddenly realized, with horror, she wasn't on her broom. She was falling. His heart skipped a beat. He could hear the crowd yelling with fear as he raced as fast as he could to try to grab her. He managed to do it just before she hit the ground, holding her by the back of her robes. The spectators sighed with relief and then, applauded and exclaimed with joy.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, out of breath, his heart still throbbing at a mad pace.

Knowing all eyes were on her, she then smiled and opened her hand slowly, showing the crowd what was in it: the Snitch. Immediately, a loud cheer was heard from the Gryffindor's side of the stadium and from the hufflepuff's side who was always cheering for the gryffindors when their team wasn't playing.

Slytherin was booing the Gryffindor's seeker, considering this cheating. Which was surprising, since it was the kind of strategy they would normally go for, but they didn't like it used against them.

Lily summoned her broom and Albus was now glad to let go of her, frowning and cursing. She was soon encircled by her team mates who cheered for her while patting her back forcefully.

"And it's me who was sorted in Slytherin!" Complained Albus while shaking his head, not quite believing what happened and cursing himself for falling for his mischievous little sister's trick.

When he and his team landed and retreated to their locker room, they all exchanged amazed commentaries about what their mate's sister had done. Most found it to be cheating and others couldn't help, but be kind of impressed. Jamie Nott, the Captain of the team, didn't find it amusing at all and scowled Albus for having caught her.

"She's my little sister! I wouldn't have let her fall to her death and anyway, she had the Snitch in her hand, so they would have won anyway!" Albus replied searching approval among his team mates, but they were all too afraid of their ill-tempered Captain to openly support him.

"She only did that, because she knew you would catch her. Maybe I should move you to another position, you two are obviously too close to compete."

Albus rolled his eyes, each time they lost to Gryffindor, his Captain had given him that exact same speech. He now knew that these were threats the older girl would never put into actions, since he was obviously the best seeker in Slytherin and also, because he was the only one who could defeat the red headed she-devil that was his little sister. She was a really good player, maybe even more than he was. She was in the first year when she got appointed Seeker, this was in itself an exploit, only their father had been able to achieve it before her. She was almost the identical copy of their mother and since Ginny Weasley had played for the Harpies for several years before she retired and became a Quidditch reporter, Lily had had a very good teacher and her resemblance to her mother baffled everyone who played against her, except Albus, of course.

Nonetheless, Albus continued to listen to his Captain who had yet to finish emptying her bag of reprimands for him. The other members of the team were not uttering a word, knowing better than to make their dark-haired captain even madder than she usually was. Finally, they all showered, changed and they headed for their common room, except for Albus who only dropped by briefly to drop his stuff in his dormitory and then proceeded to exit the Slytherin's living space.

He rapidly climbed the steps to the Gryffindor's tower. He was stopped a couple of times by students who teased him with what had happened during the match and he responded in a falsely menacing way that he was on his way to the Gryffindor's tower precisely to deal with this question. The students were not worried one bit and laughed, since they knew how much the Potter's brother and sister were close, even though they were in two different and often opposed houses. Albus was popular and well-loved by students in every house, he was known to be witty and clever, but kind-spirited. He didn't mind about being popular and, in fact, he only had a few close friends and they were the only one he truly opened his heart to.

The nearer he got to the Gryffindor's common room, the more he could hear laughter, shouts and rejoiced acclamations. They were obviously celebrating their ill-earned victory of the first championship of the year. As he arrived in the hallway where the painting leading to the Gryffindor's common room was, he saw many students in the hallway, leaving or entering the common room. Most of them were Gryffindors, but some of them were Hufflepuffs. There were also a few Ravenclaws, but unsurprisingly, he was the only Slytherin present.

Knowing he would be teased by every Gryffindor or Hufflepuff he would encounter, he hastened to get to the common room of the red and gold house. Not quickly enough it appeared, because his twin cousins Rose and Hugo Weasley grabbed him by the elbow and forced him to join their conversation. They were both in Gryffindor, as Albus's older brother, James, had been, but he had graduated last year.

"Nice catch cousin, but may I remind you that the goal of the game is not to catch the other seeker, but the Snitch." Said Hugo laughing as he teasingly punched the Slytherin's arm.

"You're really funny Hugo…" He responded dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Aw, don't take it this way, he's teasing you." Rose said with a mocking smile. "If you're searching for your sister, she's inside." She added while pointing to the painting of the fat lady.

"No, I've had enough of her for the day, thank you very much." Albus responded ironically, searching around him, apparently for someone.

Suddenly, he apologized to his cousins and crossed the crowd, his eyes set on someone. One of the twins said something Albus didn't hear and they exchanged a knowing smile Albus didn't see. He was already off to the other side of the hallway, walking toward a small group of students talking together.

"Hello, you." Albus murmured in Mathias's ear while hugging him from behind which made the Gryffindor jump a little, since he hadn't seen the other man approach.

Mathias turned his head and tossed a smile at his boyfriend while continuing to talk with Michelle Zabini and some other Ravenclaw's students Albus didn't know or care to know about. Albus didn't like being almost ignored by his boyfriend and he tightened his grip on Mathias while murmuring some more in his hear. The students talking to Mathias didn't hear the words Albus whispered in the boy's ear, but they could clearly see his cheeks turning bright red and the very diabolic smile the Slytherin was wearing once he stopped talking.

"As it happens, we were talking about you Albus." Michelle Zabini said, trying to dissipate the awkwardness of the situation.

"If you want to mock me for the game, well, now that I've already heard every possible mockery since I landed from my broom and that was two hours ago, so…" Albus began to say in a tired tone.

"In fact, we were not mocking you, we were telling each other how very touching and cute it was the way you raced for your sister when you saw her fell and grabbed her! It was very… very... "

"Un-slytherin." Mathias finished in an all too serious manner.

Albus narrowed his eyes, not liking where this was going one bit. He found it very depressing that his house had such a bad image and irritating that his boyfriend was willing to perpetuate those stereotypes, he should have known better. He would have believed that after all those years and after the war, people would have understood that the animosity between houses was a bad thing, be obviously they didn't. He knew that any of his fellow Slytherins would have done the same as him during the match even if they complained about it, well almost any…

He remembered very well the day he was sorted in Slytherin, James, his big brother, was in his third year at the time and he was in Gryffindor. Albus remembered the moment, just before entering the train that was going to bring him to Hogwart for his first year, when he had told his parents he was afraid to be sorted into Slytherin, since his whole family, even his uncles and aunts and older cousins were or had been sorted into Gryffindor. He was also oblivious at what their opinion of Slytherins was in general, he had heard all their stories and their jests about the "damn snakes". James was always complaining about the Slytherin Quidditch players which he found sneaky and treacherous and so were his cousins.

At that point, his father and his mother had said that they didn't mind which house he was sorted in. His father had told him how Severus Snape was himself in Slytherin and Albus knew, since he had the same middle name as him, all about him and to what extent his father respected him.

Nevertheless, the train ride had been almost tortured, he remembered being in the train with Rose and Hugo and some other guy who was sorted afterward in Hufflepuff. James was two years older and in another wagon with his friends. All the twins were talking about was the sorting ceremony and how much they wanted to be in Gryffindor together and Albus had said the same to fit in. Deep within himself, though, he knew he wasn't going to be sorted in his family house, because he was quite different from the rest of his family. He was less social than his family, had fewer friends, but he was very loyal to the ones he had. He was more intellectual and serious about his studies than them, he was really ambitious and wanted to be the best at what he did.

So, when it was his turn to be sorted, he was on the verge of fainting from anxiety. Before him, his two cousins had been sorted into Gryffindor and he could see them waving at him from the red and gold table, he could also see his older brother, smiling intently at him, ready to cheer when the sorting hat would exclaim, "Gryffindor!" Although, that would never happen. The hat, after only a few instant during which he couldn't even think, had exclaimed almost joyfully, "Slytherin!"

At this moment, the dining room had gone quiet for an instant and then, the Slytherins had applauded and welcomed him as warmly as Slytherin's can. Immediately, he had felt released in a funny kind of way. He had tried a look at the Gryffindor's table and had seen both his brother and his cousins smiling at him and giving him thumbs up. They hadn't seemed surprise, like they had known all along that this was going to happen. He had smiled in return and had turned back on his seat to talk with the other students who would soon become his new friends.

Of course, the subject of him being in Slytherin was abundantly used by his family and now by his Gryffindor boyfriend to tease him, but he knew they were not ill-intended and he teased them in return for being so Gryffindor sometimes. That is why he didn't like Mathias using it in a serious manner, because then, it wasn't teasing anymore, it was just uncomfortably mean. Moreover, it wasn't the first time the Gryffindor had done it, in fact, he did it every time he was mad with him or, Albus felt, when he wanted to feel superior by suggesting he was in a lesser house than him. Very proud, Albus hated that and it was not true.

Forcing a smile upon his lips, Albus addressed Michelle and the other students. "Would you excuse us for a minute?" He said, through slightly clenched teeth.

Without waiting for a response from them, he grabbed his reluctant boyfriend by the arm and dragged him away from the crowd, in a corner where they would be alone. Mathias shook his arm free and faced the black-haired young men; any trace of a smile had left his face.

"What is the matter with you?" Mathias asked in a tired and irritated voice.

"I should ask you the same, why are you so distant these days and why did you say that in front of them? I've already told you that I don't like you devaluing me and my house this way."

"You're so dramatic; don't be so ready to take offence. I didn't devalue you, on the contrary, we were praising you for the way you rescued Lily!" Mathias replied while deeply sighting.

Albus sighed, thinking for a minute before responding something stupid he may regret.

"Okay, maybe I am a little touchy right, maybe I'm tired or it's just that I'm disappointed my team lost the first tournament… I don't know, I'll head back to my common room, see you at supper I guess." He said in a calmer voice, shrugging.

Mathias gave him a light kiss and went off to join the still rejoicing crowd, leaving his boyfriend who went back to the dungeons, still feeling uneasy, but keeping his face neutral. The next day was Saturday and also, the 31st of October. Since Halloween was his favourite holiday, he thought that would play in favour of cheering him up. Also, he had very special plans for Mathias and himself and that would certainly settle things between them.

He crossed the passage leading to his common room with burgeoning smile thinking about the day that was to come.


	3. Chapter 3: The last stroke of midnight

**Chapter 3 : "At the last stroke of _midnight_ , the spell will be broken."**

 _Dear Teddy,_

 _I know what you're thinking, but please let me go on! I have to explain everything from the beginning or you won't be able to grasp the story fully. Be patient, we will get to the point fast enough and anyway, I don't think you're in any sort of a hurry, well I'm not…_

 _On another subject, what did you think about the part when I literally snitched the Snitch from Albus. Oh, you should have seen his face at that moment, that was priceless, but please, don't tell mom and dad about this, they don't know all the details and I think you could understand why it is better that it stays that way. I still want to be part of the team next year, so you know… Also, I knew my big bro was going to catch me, so it wasn't that dangerous, he's like that Albus, very chevaleresque! As you will see with the part, I'm about to tell you._

 _Don't roll your eyes while reading it, because I'll know it. Don't worry also, you won't read anything about singing mice, birds and shoes in the remaining of the story. If you don't know what I'm talking about, ask Victoire, she'll know._

 _Do believe it happened this way, I can assure you it did and if you find it hard to believe, just write to Lysander Scamander, you know the daughter or Mrs. Lovegood, well Scamander now, she witnessed it…in part. As for the other parts, well I solemnly swear that it's true also, I have my sources._

 _Kisses,_

 _Lily P._

* * *

-Are you sure about this? Asked one more time Scorpius to his best friend.

Lysander nodded while being a little insulted that the boy didn't trust her with this potion, it was one of her best matters. She had found the recipe for this illusion potion in the library. Scorpius drank the potion which had a sour taste and waited, but it seemed to him that nothing had happened.

He gazed at Lysander who had a stunned look upon her face and was smiling at the same time.

-It worked! She said.

Scorpius realized that it didn't work the way he expected it, because it also worked against him. He knew that it was Lysander who was in front of him, he recognized her clothes, but he couldn't recognize her face. It felt extremely strange to him, like she was a complete stranger, even though he knew it was her. He wanted to tell her so, opened his mouth, but no sound came from it. He tried again, but he wasn't able to produce any sound. The potions really didn't work like it was supposed to after all.

-Are you okay? Asked Lysander worrying a little when she saw her friend beginning to panic, his mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming from it.

Scorpius searched around himself and finally summoned a quill and a parchment and wrote: " _I can't talk! What have you done? I don't recognize you either!"_

She frowned at him, turning rapidly the pages of the book where she had found the recipe for the potion, reading it again.

-Oops…

 _"OOPS?!"_ , Wrote Scorpius.

-Oops indeed, first, for the part where you don't recognize me, well that seems to be normal, I just didn't understand it that way, it's an old book afterward and for the part about your speech, well it's in the possible side effect, so everything is fine, smiled the blond haired girl.

Scorpius knew it, he should have made the potion himself or at least, he should have read the book and the possible side effects. Well, one thing was settled now, he was not going to go to this stupid masked ball. He now had a good reason to avoid Lysander's plan.

Knowing the girl, he should have known that this was wishful thinking, because she immediately told him that since the music would be loud, he didn't need to talk much and he only had to pretend he had a loss of voice and bring himself a notepad to write on, not a quill nor parchment, it was a muggle bar after all.

-But do remember Scorpius that at the last stroke of _midnight_ , the spell will be broken, smiled Lysander.

He didn't understand and she laughed.

-Forget that, you wouldn't understand, but I just wanted to tell you that the potion effects last for only five hours, so considering it is now eight pm, you've got until one in the morning. So, are you ready?

Scorpius shrugged and put on his mask which was silver and dark blue and suggested the features of a wolf, he was wearing dark blue trousers, a white shirt and a matching blue vest, the poster had said casual chic. Lysander assured him that in muggle standards, he was casually chic alright and she unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons with a wink, now he was perfect. She herself was wearing a tight black dress with high heels and turquoise stockings, her mask represented a peacock.

Lysander took his friend by the arm and they exited the tool shed where they were hiding. Everyone was at the Halloween party which took place in the dining hall. She proceeded to guide him down the hill, farther than Hagrid's shack, to a place where he had never gone before and after walking for a while, he finally saw them.

-No!

-You can see them? Responded the delighted girl.

-Well, yes, can't you?

-No, so you'll have to make the introductions I guess.

-Are you sure about this? Asked the blond boy.

-Just trust me, my mother taught me everything about them, said Lysander while pulling on her friend's arm to make him move.

-That's exactly what's worrying me…

* * *

Albus entered the gryffindor common room with a decided smile on his face, a guy who had recognized him as being Lily's brother had let him in. It wasn't unusual to see him visiting his sister or Mathias, his boyfriend, so people would let him get inside each time. He saw his sister seated in one of the large leather armchairs in front of the lighted fireplace and went to her.

-Good evening dear sister of mine.

-Cut the bullshit Albus, what do you want? Responded the girl while lifting one eyebrow in a very over-confident manner that once again had Albus wondered why he was the only one sorted in Slytherin.

-I want the map, I know you have it, it wasn't in dad's drawer when I left for school.

-I really don't know what you're talking about, sweet brother of mine, said the red-haired girl in an innocent manner while her eyes spoke otherwise.

-You owe me after what you did during the Quidditch match my sweet sister or should I inform mom and dad of your little prowess?

-You just could have asked for the map, no need to come too such extent dear brother, smirked Lily while getting up and heading toward her room.

She got back with the Marauders' map a few minutes afterward, handing it to her brother.

-Don't tell mom and dad I had the card and don't tell them about the Quidditch match.

-You know I would never do such a thing sis and don't tell dad that I have his invisibility cloak. He should really change his hiding spots sometimes, winked Albus while he exited the Gryffindor's common room.

He exited the castle and walked to the Whomping Willow, his plan was to use the passage under the tree leading to the Shrieking Shack and then to use his broom to fly to his destination which wasn't far from Hogsmeade. He needed the map for when they would be back, not to get caught wandering in the hallway at an ungodly hour.

He waited for almost twenty minutes outside, but Mathias never came. Impatient, he drew the map and after saying the solemn words, he looked at it to see where Mathias was and as it happens, he was just behind the door leading inside the castle he adds used twenty minutes ago, with Michelle Zabini. He walked back to the door and, without opening it, he cast a spell to hear through it.

-I don't want to hurt him, said Mathias.

-Well, you can't continue this way, it's ridiculous, it will be worst afterward, just tell him you won't go with him tonight, I don't want you to go either, pleaded Michelle.

-Just this night and then I'll tell him.

Albus had heard enough, he walked briskly toward the tree, casting a spell to briefly stop him from moving and knowing the other man couldn't follow him since he didn't know the existence of the passage, he went into the secret tunnel without looking back.

He had seen this coming, but hearing how much the gryffindor was a coward disgusted him. Weren't gryffindors supposed to be courageous? He had sensed for many weeks that his relationship with the man was declining, but he never thinks that he would be left for a girl. He was hurt and angry, mostly angry, but he decided that tonight he was going to enjoy himself and party and tomorrow he was going to deal with his emotions. He grabbed his broom and walked toward the Shrieking Shack.

* * *

-Don't forget to hide your wand, don't say the words witch, sorcerer, muggle, don't talk about anything magic, don't look at this pen and notepad like they're from outer space, don't talk about Hogwart, don't order anything but beer, since I don't want you talking about butterbeer or anything of this sort, don't talk about pureblood except if you're talking about dogs, don't critics the music and also, have fun!

Scorpius stopped looking strangely at the pen he was holding and silently sighed while crossing the street that would lead them to the bar entrance.

The bar in question couldn't be missed, since it had been decorated or should I say, over-decorated for Halloween. Music was coming through the door which was harbouring the colours of the gay pride flag. Some masked people were outside talking, smoking, waiting for friends or talking on their cellphone, this drew Scorpius attention and he looked with intense curiosity at the small screens gleaming in the dark until Lysander struck her elbow in his side, frowning at him.

He was in front of the door now, unable to reach for it, paralyzed. He cursed himself, imagining what his father would say seeing him too afraid to open a door, it was ridiculous, but then he might not want to imagine his father reaction after all if he knew his underage son was about to enter a muggle gay bar, dressed in muggle clothes. He washed away this thought.

Then the door opened to let someone out and since the person hold it for him, he didn't have a choice but to enter the crowded bar while taking a deep breath, Lysander on his heels. The inside of the bar was even more decorated as the outside and it was crowded. Did I say that it was crowded? Just to make sure, it was crowded. Everyone was wearing a mask, even the staff and as Scorpius could see, what he was wearing was fine, he melded instantly with the crowd. He had been a little worried to stand out in a manner or another, since he never went to a muggle place before, Malfoy's just don't do that.

He felt his wand hidden in the fabric of his vest just to make sure it was still there and turned to his friend, to knowing what to do know that they were here. She smiled and proceeded to the bar to order drinks while Scorpius was looking at things he had never seen before with fascinated eyes. Near him, someone was holding what Lysander had called a cellphone and he couldn't stop looking at him, fascinated as much with the object itself as with the undivided attention its owner was giving it.

Lysander came back, giving him a glass containing some sort of alcohol he didn't know.

-For Merlin's sake Scorpius, stop looking at everything like you were raised in the jungle by monkeys and had come out of the woods only yesterday, mocked Lysander. "Do you think there's anyone we know here," Added the girl while looking around them intently.

" _Stop that! We will get noticed_ ," wrote the ravenclaw boy.

-Well, my dear, this is exactly the plan I have in mind for you and don't worry, even I can't recognize your face and you're wearing a mask on top of that. Now, let's take a look at the merchandise, which one is your style? Said the girl in a teasing voice while biting her lips like she was truly enjoying herself at that moment.

Scorpius cursed himself as he felt his cheeks reddening; glad he was wearing a mask. Lysander was now looking at every potential cute guy around them, which was not an easy task, because they were wearing masks, but you could see their other features. Scorpius was looking only at his drink, not wanting to encourage his friend in any way. For him, being here was already a big deal; he didn't want anything more for the moment.

-And him? Asked the blond girl for the millionth time still not turned down by the absence of co-operation she had from Scorpius while she was emptying her second glass of vodka cranberry.

" _Going to the bathroom_ ," wrote Scorpius on his notepad.

He didn't need to go to the bathroom, but he needed a break from her friend who had been harassing him for the last hour. As he walked away, making sure his friend couldn't see him, he permitted himself a look around, well just a small little glance at the crowd, people were dancing together, kissing, hugging, boys with boys, girls with girls, he hadn't ever seen this before and it was so strange for him. He had always felt like an outcast before even if it was only in his head, since no one but Lysander knew he was gay, but now, he strangely did and it just felt good. He was too proud to admit it, but Lysander was right, this had been a good idea, he just didn't want to be pushed.

He glanced once again at the dance floor, imagining what that would be like to dance with another man, to kiss… And then he saw him, a boy wearing a fox mask, he met his gaze and the fox guy smiled at him. Okay, he wasn't prepared for that, Scorpius lowered his head, stupidly looking around him like he had dropped something on the floor, not knowing what to do, afraid to look again in the fox's direction in case he was still looking at him. He hurried back to the table where he was seated with Lysander just a few minutes before, but she wasn't there anymore and a couple had taken the seats. He looked around in search of her, not seeing heard and silently cursing. He felt a hand on his elbow and turned, relieve that his friend was back, but she wasn't, it was the fox who had touched him.

-Good evening Mr. Wolf, said the masked man.

Scorpius was a little too shocked to speak, but considering he couldn't, that wasn't really a problem. He took his notepad and pen and wrote.

-Good evening Mr. Fox, read aloud the said Mr. Fox intrigued about the notepad.

-Are you a mute?, asked the dark-haired man.

Scorpius shook his head and wrote to the man that he had lost his voice. Seeing that Scorpius had nothing to drink, Mr. Fox asked him if he wanted something to drink. Surprised that the other man still wanted to spend time with him despite is lack of voice, Scorpius motions his head to say yes.

-What does a wolf drink? Asked Mr. Fox.

" _Beer?_ " wrote Scorpius, remembering what Lysander had told him earlier.

-Then beer it is, said the other man while walking away to the bar.

Scorpius jumped when Lysander grabbed his arm.

-I always knew you were the fox hunting type, all aristocratic and everything, said the girl with the most perverse face Scorpius had ever seen. "Well, since you're such in good company, I'll leave you with him, I myself have found some good company too. Do remember the effects of the potion will wear off in less than an hour," added Lysander in Scorpius ears so no one could hear, while waving to a girl across the room who was evidently waiting for her.

 _"What are you doing? You're not a lesbian…"_ , wrote Scorpius.

-You're so close minded Scorpius, see you tomorrow and I want all the details, responded the girl with a mischievous smile.

" _Screw you!_ " wrote Scorpius, but the time he'd taken to write it down, his friend was already gone and it was his good company who was in front of him, holding a pint of beer in each hand.

-Well… I wouldn't mind that, but let drink this first, teased Mr. Fox with an almost predatory smile.

Once again, Scorpius was glad he was wearing a mask.


	4. Chapter 4: The aftermath

**Chapter 4 : The Aftermath**

Maybe it was because he was drunk or maybe it was the fact that he knew no one could recognize him, but, for the first time in his life, Scorpius truly felt free. For once, he wasn't the son of Draco Malfoy, he wasn't a Slytherin, and he didn't need to hide his feelings or bury his desires deep down inside himself. He was in a gay bar, some hot masked guy was hitting on him and it just felt unexpectedly right. He wished the night would never end.

The first time the man with the fox mask had asked him to dance, he was truly nervous and didn't want to put a foot on the dance floor, but now, he couldn't stop himself from smiling as they were dancing together. Scorpius was a good dancer, his mother made sure of it, but it was the first time he'd danced in that way. This was not comparable to the traditional wizard ballroom dancing at all, to say the least. Couples were pressed up against each other, dancing to upbeat music the pureblood wizard had never heard before. It was clearly not the first time the other boy had been in such a place and Scorpius just followed his lead, letting go for once. He was very glad he had his mask on, because he was blushing in a way that was almost not humanly possible.

The dark haired boy finally proposed that they sat for a minute and Scorpius nodded his approval, since they were both out of breath and thirsty. Scorpius went to order at the counter and when he came back, the other man seemed lost in his thoughts. Scorpius sat next to the man, putting down the glasses. Immediately the guy with the fox mask turned his head toward him and the sadness Malfoy had noticed in his eyes disappeared in a blink.

Their eyes met and they gazed at each other. A shiver passed through Scorpius's body, he felt the rapid beating of his heart in his head. Unable to sustain the gaze any longer, he broke it, trying his best to look like he was in perfect control of himself, which evidently wasn't the case. In fact, he had never had so little control over himself as he did during this evening. That was quite something for him, because he was usually always in control. Having been raised a Malfoy, controlling his emotions, controlling what he would let the person around him see or not, those were the first thing he had learned as a little boy, he thought.

The slytherin knew he would never see the other man again, he was a muggle, they couldn't recognize themselves, because of the potion and the masks. That thought made him feel a twinge in his heart. This was going nowhere since they lived in two very separate and different worlds, but he wanted more of what he had tasted. He wanted to see him again even if that did not make any sense.

The other men must have been thinking the same, because after hesitating for a while, he talked. "Can I…do you? I mean, can I have your phone number?" The man with the fox mask inquired a little shyly, breaking the silence between them.

Scorpius gave him a puzzled look, not understanding one bit what the other man was suddenly talking about.

" _Pardon me?_ " Scorpius wrote.

-"Your phone number…" The man replied more shyly, miming a phone with his right hand, not knowing whether the other man didn't want to give him his phone number or whether he hadn't heard him.

The blond haired boy still gave him a look like the other boy was speaking Chinese. Then, the fox masked man smirked while frowning with curiosity like a very intriguing thought had crossed his mind and like he couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

-"Hey, are you a Hogwart student?" The dark haired boy asked, uncertainty tainting his voice.

Who wouldn't know what a phone was except for a wizard and since the man wearing the wolf mask was about his age, he must be attending school at Hogwart, thought the man.

The blond boy shuddered. "No!" Scorpius exclaimed in a panicked tone, surprised to hear the sound of his own voice again.

He glanced at the clock above the bar, there were only ten minutes left before it was 1h00 am, the potion was supposed to wear off in ten minutes and because he had regained his voice, the ravenclaw was sure the effects wouldn't last long. He had to leave now, while the effects were still on. The other man was obviously a Hogwart student and he couldn't risk being discovered.

The other men smiled broadly, now persuaded after the other man reaction that he was a Hogwart student. "You've regained your voice!"

Scorpius stumbled on his feet, realizing just how much he was drunk, like it all hit him at this moment.

-"I had a very good time, but I really have to go… I… thank you," Scorpius stammered out afraid that the potion would wear off at any moment now.

Before he had the time to leave, the other man grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear: "In the library, you really should check out the book about advanced potions, the old edition." He then let go of Scorpius's arm and the blond left, not understanding why the stranger had told him this.

Scorpius almost ran into the street as he looked at his pocket watch, it was one o'clock when he crossed the street in front of the bar. He walked until he was into the forest where he had left the Thestral he had ridden to get here, the creature was still where he had left it. He almost felt bad for thinking the animal would have left him here. Lysander had been right; those were very intelligent creatures.

* * *

Albus heard the loud purring of his cat and felt the paws dig in his stomach. He opened his eyes and closed them immediately, moaning. The fat cat purred louder and rolled on his back, rubbing his head on Albus's hand.

" _Accio_ ," Albus whispered and, as he left his right hand, a small vial flew slowly in his grasp.

He emptied it right away, pinching his nose to minimize the horrible taste. He was glad he still had those anti-hangover drafts he had brewed for James's graduation last year. Nevertheless, he knew that these would only alleviate the syndromes and that he would still be feeling bad for the remainder of the day. It was Sunday anyway and he had nothing planned… except a Quidditch practice in the afternoon he then remembered, well damn. He was already hearing the mouthful his team Captain was certainly going to give him.

He opened his eyes once more and blinked a few times, then sat up very slowly, noticing that he was wearing his socks, his underwear and his shirt, but not his trousers, well, that was sexy… or not. He had been so wasted when he had gone back to the castle the night before, he wondered how he managed to not get caught. Maybe the prefects were as drunk as him, it wouldn't be the first time after all that some Firewhisky would find its way in the punch. On the other hand, the aftermath of the Hogwart Halloween Party must have busied them a lot too.

He stretched, sighing and petted his cat, thinking about the lovely evening he had had. Wondering who was the student he had met, the one with the wolf mask. He didn't see his face and didn't have the time to ask him his name before he had left in a hurry.

It was strange though, he couldn't remember one thing about his features, not even his hair colour, or his eyes'. Albus was very curious to know who it was, because there were very few openly gay students in Hogwart, in fact, he only knew four or five and that included two girls. He was sure the one he had seen the night before was not one of them, because he knew them and he would have recognized them.

Maybe he was even drunker than he thought he had been. Even so, the other boy had made quite an impression on him, he obviously hadn't plan on hitting on someone last night considering what had happened before. In fact, his plan had been to get drunk and to forget or try to forget that he had just been unofficially dumped for an ugly girl by his coward boyfriend.

He clenched his teeth and decided it was time to wash down those memories with a long, hot shower. He patted his cat on the head and exited the room.

Since it was 11 am, the dormitory was empty and he had the showers all to himself. He took a long shower, unable not to think about Mathias and also, about the man he had met at the bar, wondering if he would see him again in Hogwart, if he would be able to recognize him. He wondered if had done something wrong. The man had been quite eager to leave after all. Maybe he wasn't out and had not been prepared to meet another Hogwart student and had panicked.

When he finished showering, he dressed in comfortable weekend clothes and headed for his common room, planning to take a quick trip to the kitchens. Since his dad was their friend, the elves were always willing to give him something to eat.

After exiting the slytherins' common room, Albus Potter found himself face to face with the person he least wanted to see in all Hogwart at the moment: Mathias. The gryffindor boy seemed uneasy and mad at the same time or maybe he didn't and it was Albus who interpreted his expression in a way that would fit with his own emotions.

Albus froze, unprepared to face the man so soon. His own emotions felt alien to him, he just felt empty. He was not going to burst in tears, he didn't feel like shouting either. He thought about hexing his now ex-lover tough. Was he sad that their relationship was coming to an end? He did not know. He had seen it coming for a while now, he had felt the distance between them widen. He was just overcome by the fact that the other man could replace him so easily, with a girl and lie to him about it.

-"I…" Mathias began.

Albus interrupted him. "I know about you and Michelle"

Mathias looked at him with wide eyes, in an almost funny manner, but Albus was not in a mood to laugh. "It's not…"

-"You know what? Thinking of it now, I really have nothing more I want to say to you or that I want to hear from you." Albus cut off.

-"Albus wait! Nothing happened, you have to believe me. It's her who initiated it." Mathias pleaded in a panicked voice that Albus found annoying.

-"Oh, wait, maybe I have one more thing to say: Fuck you! Now get out of my way," Albus told him in his coldest slytherin voice.

The gryffindor stepped in front of Harry Potter's son to stop him from walking away and grabbed his arm. Albus stared at him with anger, his Weasley genes taking a hold of himself. "Let go of me now!" He said while trying to make the man let go of his arm, but Mathias only tightened his grasp and he pushed the slytherin against the stone wall, knocking the back of Albus's head on it. The hallway was empty at this moment, so no one saw what was going on. Mathias pressed his body against Albus's, kissing him roughly.

Potter tightened and immediately pushed the man away furiously and when he saw the gryffindor trying to get closer again, he couldn't contain his anger and he punched him in the face. Mathias stumbled and fell wailing to the ground, a hand over his mouth. Albus saw blood dripping from his ex-lover severed lips and he immediately regretted his violent outburst. It wasn't like him to act this way. He squatted near Mathias to apologize, but the other boy pushed him hard and got up on his feet, looking with disgust at him who had fallen on the ground after having been pushed.

"Don't come near me! I should have known you're nothing but a disgusting snake, the others were right," Mathias said while walking away from Albus.

Albus watched him walk briskly away while clenching his teeth. He got up on his feet and changed his mind about the kitchen, he would wait until noon, he was not hungry anymore.

* * *

When he had arrived at Hogwart the night before, Scorpius had managed to get to his dormitory unnoticed, but he had wakened his friend Thomas Shackelbolt, whose bed was next to his.

-"Where were you Scorpius? I didn't see you at the party." The black-skinned boy asked in a low voice so no one could hear except for Scorpius.

Scorpius knew that he couldn't fool his friend, the way he couldn't fight the lasting smile he had had on his lips since he left the bar forty minutes ago. Even if Thomas could not see his face, because the drapes around his bed were closed, he knew the man would sense something was unusual. Thomas was very clever. He was the kind of person who noticed everything and thus, it was very hard to lie to him, because he would always find out not only the lies, but the truth underneath them. It was almost like the guy was perpetually using legilimency to know what the persons around him were thinking. Well, it wouldn't be surprising after all, since his dad was a very well-known auror specialized in interrogation techniques.

Malfoy liked Thomas's company, but he didn't trust him with his big secret. First, Thomas was a man and they were sharing the same dormitory since their first year. He didn't know how the guy would react to that. Also, he knew Shackelbolt would spill the beans, the boy was known to be as gossipy as he was nosy.

-"I wasn't at the party, I was with Lysander, wandering" Scorpius answered in the most neutral tone he could manage and knowing Lysander would cover his version.

There were a few seconds of silence during which Scorpius hoped his answer had quenched his friend curiosity, but Thomas broke the silence soon enough. "Wandering…?"

-"Yeah wandering. Good night Thomas, I'm tired. " Malfoy replied.

-"Wandering…" Repeated Thomas in an unconvinced tone and then he asked. "Are you drunk?"

-"Shut up, I'm trying to sleep" Scorpius said in the coldest Malfoy manner he could manage so, hopefully, the other boy would stop talking to him.

-"Did you have sex tonight?" Thomas asked in a very blunt manner.

Scorpius almost choked with surprise.

-"No!" Replied the blond boy a little too loudly and eagerly, thinking afterward he couldn't have looked more like a virgin than this, had he tried.

-"I see." Was all the boy replied and Scorpius didn't like it at all.

His fellow student was never so quick to give up, this was strange and disarming. Malfoy forced himself to stop thinking about his inquiring friend and to sleep, but other thoughts were soon filling his mind. He fell asleep smiling, thinking about fox hunting, potion books and other things…

When Scorpius wake, Thomas was already up. The blond boy did not see him before lunch since he had slept through breakfast. When he sat at the Slytherin table next to him at noon, Thomas did not talk to him about their previous nocturnal conversation which was now not only strange, but kind of scary. Their friend Viviane Law, who was seated next to Thomas, was in a conversation with Lysander, when he had arrived, but at the moment Lysander saw him, she had stopped talking and had glanced at him with a smile.

Scorpius had dismissed it with a frown, not wanting to attract their other friends' attention and knowing Thomas was certainly searching for any clue he could find to discover the truth. He knew the boy too well to think otherwise.

While Scorpius and his friends were chatting and eating, the Great Hall suddenly fell almost silent, which was not something that happened often. Even when the Headmistress Minerva McGonagall tried to silence everyone she had a hard time doing it. Scorpius lifted his head from his plate, searching the cause of this unexpected quietness and then he saw it.

Lily Potter was in front of her brother Albus Potter, the one who was in Slytherin. She seemed angry since her face was as red as her hair. She was talking to her brother in an enraged manner, but not loudly enough for Scorpius to hear what she was saying. Also, the students were murmuring to one another about what was happening. The Potter boy was seated among his friends and he seemed unmoved by what her sister was saying to him.

-"Calm yourself and shut up!" Albus scolded off loudly enough for the entire Great Hall to hear while getting up from his seat, he was obviously fed up with what his little sister was telling him.

Some slytherin students, seated next to their housemate wanted to get up too, but Potter made a gesture to them and they sat down, not losing their frown though.

-"You really are a slytherin!" His sister accused while pushing him, but his brother was taller and older than her, so he didn't move.

The slytherin students who had remained seated before getting up this time and the Potter girl looked at them in disgust. Albus eyes became glaring.

Then through clenched teeth, trying with all his might not to shout at his sister, not because he didn't want to, but because they were making enough of a scene as it was, Albus replied while storming out of the Great Hall. "You fucking don't know what you're talking about!"

Lily continued to shout at him, but Albus did not turn back. Two teachers then called for order while subtracting points for Gryffindor and Slytherin, scolding Lily Potter, but not his brother since he had long left the Great Hall.

When the students from both concerned houses heard they were losing points, they all loudly complained and only the threat of losing more points kept them from arguing further. Scorpius was sure that if the Headmistress had been here when the fight happened, she would have turned both the brother and the sister into frogs, she hated this kind of quarrel.

-"Gryffindor and Slytherin, the drama queens' official houses," Thomas sighed while rolling his eyes in discouragement.

Viviane laughed at Thomas's comment and Scorpius smiled too, since it was kind of true. He was glad he wasn't sorted in Slytherin after all, seeing how their pride and emotions often got the better of themselves. They finished eating and nothing as interesting as the Potter's fight happened.

-"So, will you tell me what happened yesterday?" Lysander grinned while Scorpius and her were leaving the dining hall.

She had been dying for them to be alone so she could ask him all about the ending of his night. Lysander Scamander was the most curious and indiscreet person he had ever met, though the blond boy. Scorpius kept silent, not wanting to share his evening, he hadn't even had the time to process everything out for himself.

-"Did you kiss?" The blond girl asked teasingly, biting her lips, but suspecting her shy friend would not have gotten that far.

Scorpius gave her a Are you fucking crazy?" look.

-"Did you at least dance?" Lysander asked.

Scorpius swore has he felt his cheeks reddening.

-"You danced! You danced like… together? I can't believe I missed that!" Lysander exclaimed in a very excited tone.

Seizing the opportunity, Scorpius asked him about her own… experience.

Lysander winked. "This, my dear friend, is none of your business, but I can only say that it was a very…enriching experience and it fulfilled my scientific curiosity in a very satisfying manner."

Even if her last name was Scamander, Lysander truly was more of a Lovegood, like her mother and Scorpius thought he would never be able to be as free-spirited and unbounded by social norms as she was. He had only talked with the man, well that was in fact inexact, since he had not uttered a word, but had written all evening; but that didn't matter, what mattered was that he had only chatted with an unknown, but very charming man and danced and that he was feeling that had been the most interesting evening he had had in his entire life. Talk about pathetic, thought Scorpius.

Lysander put a hand on Scorpius's shoulder, leaning against him and whispered in his ear. "So, when do you see him again? "

Scorpius sighed loudly, this would indeed be very long day…


	5. Chapter 5:Advanced Potions, 2nd Edition

Note from the author:

Dear reader,

I would really like to know your opinion on my story so far. It is the first story I write in English, since I'm a French-speaking Canadian, so I would like to know what improvements I could make in this area as well as concerning the story itself.

Remember that reviews are a writer's food. I will reply to all reviews.

Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

Harley Q.

* * *

 **Chapter 5 : Advanced Potions, 2nd Edition (1903)**

Jamie Nott nodded with satisfaction when she saw Potter catch the Snitch for the second time in thirty minutes. She was unsatisfied with the outcome of the Fall Quidditch's Championship and was aiming at winning the Winter Championship. She was in her seventh year, so she wanted to see Slytherin win the Quidditch Cup this year, since it would be her last year at Hogwart. She, herself, had been contacted by recruiters from the Harpies, so, hopefully, her Quidditch career would go on after Hogwart.

-"You should argue with your sister more often, you're a better seeker when you're mad!" The team's captain shouted with an evil smile, knowing what Potter's reaction would be.

-"Go fuck yourself Nott!" Replied Albus who was still in a very bad mood, it had only been two hours since the fight with his stupid little sister.

Jamie smiled faintly and flew next to Anna Goyle, the strong girl was in her fourth year and she player as a beater. Goyle was practising her swing with a special Bludger which kept coming in her direction so she could hit it as long she wanted. She was the daughter of Gregory Goyle, a Death Eater who had served five years in Azkaban after the war, he got this lenient sentence because of his young age and his limited implication in the war. Anna never spoke about her family's dark past, but Jamie knew she had been raised in a very pure-blood fashion. That is why many students, including herself, were distrustful of her, but she was a good beater, so she did not complain about her being on the team.

Jamie, herself, had been raised in such a family, her father was Theodore Nott, a Death Eater too, but he had managed to avoid prison due to a lack of evidence in the prosecutor's file. Her father was not repentant at all and regretted the end of the dark Lord reign every day. He only believed in purity of the blood and all that went with it. Jamie Nott had stopped talking to her father when she was in her second year and was living with her aunt since then.

There were very few students in Hogwarts these days who were Death Eaters' children since most of them were in Azkaban, had been killed during the war or had fled the country soon after it to avoid justice. Many Slytherin students still came from pure-blood families that were supporters or not of Voldemort, but it was nothing like in the past.

-"MacDougal, Franklin, if I see you chatting again instead of practising those passes, I'll tell Anna to aim her Bludgers at your head. Heard me?" Jamie shouted while throwing them a Quaffle.

The rest of the practice went as usual and Albus was almost sorry, even though he was exhausted that it was over. Now, he would have to face his thoughts again. At least, now he was more relaxed, flying had released some tension, but he didn't want to talk to anyone. He knew his parents would be informed of the quarrel between his sister and him by one of the teachers who had intervened or by Headmistress McGonagall who was very close to both his parents. He was sure he would receive a scolding letter by owls tomorrow morning and he was pissed about it. He thought he did not deserve it.

Albus was the last to land of his team, but Vincent MacDougall was waiting for him. They walked to the locker room together talking about the practice and the match that was to come in two weeks. Albus knew his friend wanted to talk about what had happened in the Great Hall, but did not know how to introduce the subject without being indiscreet. Vincent was a very discreet and well-mannered man, in an almost nineteenth century way. This is why it was surprising that he was dating Jean Franklin, who was certainly the most extroverted, direct, bad-mouthed and funny girl the Slytherin House had ever had in its ranks. Jean was also Albus's friend, in fact, she was the first Slytherin's student he had met. They had seated next to each other after the sorting ceremony on their first day.

Vincent furrowed his brow for a second like he was trying to concentrate. And when he spoke, his voice was hesitant. "So… How are you feeling? Well, I mean, you don't need to…"

-"I broke up with Mathias this morning, because I caught him and Michelle Zabini in a… very revealing conversation."

-"Oh, I see… Was he cheating on you, or…?" Vincent asked, not quite believing his friend could be dumped by this stupid gryffindor and, moreover, for this ugly girl, Albus was definitely worth more.

-"Don't know, don't want to know, from what I heard, it had been going on for a while between them, whatever "it" is. Also, I punched him… hard."

Vincent could not believe Albus had punched someone, it wasn't his style at all. The Potter boy did not have a violent temper, he seemed always in control and he very rarely lost his temper. However, when he did, Vincent could testify about it, having seen it with his own eyes, it was not pretty. Albus's brother and sister, and even their other Weasley cousins, all had that explosives, very intense temperament, it seemed to be in their genes. Even though Albus was different, when he got really mad, you would see his Weasley anger-prone side resurface.

-"You punched him?" Vincent repeated.

Albus nodded.

Both men kept a contemplative silence for a few moments while they fumbled in their bag which contained their Quidditch attire. "You know I never liked him," Vincent finally said with a smirk.

-"What's up with your little sister?" Vincent asked.

-"I guess he complained to her about me, or something like that," Albus answered with an annoyed shrug.

Albus had been dating Mathias for a little less than six months and he knew the gryffindor well enough to know he must have told all those who were inclined to listen to him a story in which he got the good role and in which Albus was a heartless slytherin jerk. Mathias was Albus first real and official relationship and he had liked the man, but he also knew how manipulative he could be. He had succeeded many times with Albus, playing with his emotions to get what he wanted. Mathias would never admit he was the cause of their break up, he had to pin it on Albus so he could look like the poor heartbroken guy and so others would sympathize with him. This way, he could refrain from feeling guilty for the way he acted with Michelle Zabini.

Albus didn't mind that much that their relationship had ended, because their relationship hadn't been going very well in the last few weeks. He had felt it would eventually come to an end in a near future. What was really bugging him was that even if he was the one who had officially broken up, he knew that the other man was about to leave him for the Zabini girl. That was really hard on his ego. Had Mathias changed sides because of him? Was he bi? How could he choose this ugly girl over him? The truth was he always thought he was the one who would end their relationship, not the other way around. Had Albus not spied upon them, he wouldn't have suspected anything and he would have continued to believe the other boy was into him.

-"For now, I just wish my parents won't be informed too soon. I'm not looking forward to receiving their scolding letters," Albus said.

\- "Well I wouldn't count too much on that Albus. The Headmistress had already sent them a letter." A voice whom he only knew too well warned.

Albus Potter turned around and saw, standing in the door frame, his aunt and godmother, Hermione Weasley, who was also the part-time Ancient Runes' teacher at Hogwarts and a full-time researcher, standing in the door frame. He should have guessed she was going to want to talk to him after what had happened in the Great Hall when she would be back in Hogwarts. He just didn't know she was here this day and thinking about it, he found it odd she was here on a Sunday.

Vincent excused himself and let his friend alone with his aunt in the empty locker room. Albus's sighed, even though he adored his aunt Hermione, they were both brainy, studious and she was the only one who never picked on him for being in Slytherin, he just didn't want to talk to her now. In truth, he didn't want to speak to her about what he knew she would want to talk him about.

-"This is a men's locker room, just so you know…" Albus said in a cheeky manner.

Hermione crossed her arms and lifted one of her eyebrows. "Albus Severus Potter, I'll have none of this attitude and regarding the fact that this is a boy locker room, well there's nothing here to see that I haven't seen before." The brown haired women retorted bluntly while seating herself next to her nephew and godson.

They didn't talk for a while, Albus was pretending to be busy, fumbling in his sports bag and Hermione was just sitting there, looking at him.

-"I know you don't want to talk about it Albus, but you know that your parents will be informed of what happened. I can't believe you hit another student in the face and then got in a fight with your sister in front of the whole Great Hall. This does not look like you, you're always so poised and gentle usually. What happened?" Hermione asked while motioning him to sit next to her, which he did reluctantly.

He shrugged while sighing. "It's complicated"

-"I think I can manage it." His aunt teased a little, resting her hand on his lap reassuringly for a few seconds.

Albus then explained what had happened with Mathias the night before, the conversation he had overheard, but he left out the part about the bar, since he could be expelled for less and he knew she would get extremely mad at him for sneaking out of school to go alone to a muggle gay bar and to get drunk while being underage.

Hermione knew he was gay, in fact, she was the second person he had told, the first being Lily. She had always been very supportive about that and she had helped him announce the news to his parents. Unfortunately, he couldn't say the same about Uncle Ron, her husband, who was still clearly uncomfortable about that subject. Each time this subject was brought up, he would just ignore it and not look Albus in the eyes.

Albus's mother had not been surprised when her son had made his coming out. She had had doubts for a few years, but had always kept them to herself. She was very open and at ease about it from day one, a little too much if you'd asked Albus. She was often asking him about cute boys in Hogwarts and that was pushing it a little too far, she didn't even do that with Lily.

His brother, sister and cousins had all accepted him immediately, like they knew all along, and for some, like James, it was the case. James was very protective of him when he was still in Hogwarts and he still was, but through his multiple letters.

As for his father, well, at first he was very surprised and shocked. He could not wrap the news around his head and, while he understood, he didn't want to talk about it. Albus had felt he had disappointed him and it was really hard for him to cope with it. He even avoided his father as much as he could during this period. He knew his mother would talk to his dad, but he had wished his dad would be as accepting and open as his mother, but that was not the case.

One evening, Albus remembered, it was during the summer break following his coming out, he was lying on top of his bed, his teeth clenched while silent tears were rolling on his cheeks which he wiped angrily with his fists, ashamed to cry. He was hidden in his room because he wanted no one in his family to see him crying. He was depressed and he was wishing he could be normal so his dad could be proud of him. He had then heard someone knocking lightly on the door of his room.

"Leave me alone!" Albus had shouted, thinking it was Lily who often wanted him to play chess or some other games with him.

He remembered hearing the door open and, soon after, someone sitting on his bed, he didn't see who it was, because his back was facing the door and he didn't want to show his red and puffy eyes that were the proof of him crying.

-"I said leave me alone!" Albus had shouted again, embarrassed.

Then he heard his father's voice and had tensed immediately. "Are you okay Albus? What is it?" Harry Potter muttered to his son.

-"Nothing," Albus had replied.

-"It doesn't seem like nothing to me…" His father had replied while placing one hand on his shoulder, stroking him very gently.

The touch from his father had made Albus start to sob loudly, to his horror and shame. He remembered he had cried for a long time before he was able to speak, his father had stayed next to him, his hand still stroking his back and shoulder, in silence. After a while, Albus had been able to calm himself and talk again.

-"I… I wish I was normal dad… I'm sorry… I so wish I could change… I don't know what to do… I just want to make you proud, like James… I'm sorry…" Albus had said, ashamed, not looking at his father, his sobs cutting his speech.

Albus remembered that when his dad had heard him say this, he had taken his son in his arm and had hugged him very tightly. "Don't ever say that again Albus! I'm so proud of you, I'm proud of everything about you. Do you hear me? I'm sorry son, I'm the one who should be ashamed and I am, I was a bad father, I was just surprised when you came out and also, worried for you. I love you Albus, no matter what you do. I didn't know you were feeling bad, I'm sorry." Harry Potter had said his voice filled with emotion in his voice and his eyes were watery.

Since that evening, Albus's father had been okay with his younger son being gay and his relationship with his son had changed in a good way. Albus knew his father would certainly be a little uneasy if he presented him his boyfriend though, this is why, except his brother and sister and his cousins who were studying in Hogwarts, he had not told his family about Mathias. Also, he had wanted it to be more serious before telling them, he was now glad he didn't tell them, considering the actual circumstances.

When Albus finished telling Hermione about what had happened with Mathias and Lily's reaction to it, her aunt paused for a second. "And he was the one sorted in Gryffindor?" Hermione commented.

Her godson smiled.

-"You should not have punched him tough" Hermione said frowning to show that she disapproved of this type of behaviour.

Albus nodded slowly, but could not resist adding something. "But aren't you the one who punched Draco Malfoy in the face when you were in your third year?"

Her godson truly was the clever one, he always had to have the last word, Hermione thought. "Indeed, but these were very dark times… and Malfoy truly deserved it."

Albus smirked at his aunt double standards, but he knew better than to argue with her. Also, he wanted something from her.

-"Will you... Talk to Mom and Dad?" The youngest of Harry Potter's sons asked.

-"I can try to smooth things out for you, but knowing Ginny and Harry, I guess they will be more worried than mad. Prepare yourself to receive a bunch of letters though. Now, you should go talk to Lily, explain her everything, she loves you more than anything, you have always been her role model, she'll understand. Family is too precious to stay mad at each other. I'm sure she didn't mean what she said to you, it was said out of anger. You can always talk to me Albus, you're my favourite godson after all," Hermione winked while getting up from the wood bench on which they were seated.

* * *

Four days had passed since Halloween. Scorpius, Lysander, Thomas and a few of their housemate were studying in the library that afternoon, they didn't have classes on Thursday afternoon; it was their assigned study period. Scorpius wasn't in the mood to study, which was unusual. In fact, at the moment they had entered the library, he had remembered something a certain someone had said to him about a certain potion book. It was the first time he was in the library since Halloween; because their exams were two weeks ago and he didn't need to study as intensely this week as usual. Now that he was in the library, he couldn't help but gaze at the aligned book on the shelves, wondering why the other man had said to look in the old potion book. He wanted to get up and go straight to the shelf holding the potions' manual, knowing perfectly where it was, but him and his friends were now studying Charms and they didn't have a potion homework to work on this week, so he thought that it would attract their attention if he just got up and look for an out-of-date potion manuals.

He spent the next two hours struggling with himself, more and more obsessed with what would be in the book, his anticipation rising with every minute, knowing that, soon, his housemates would resume studying. At that moment, he was planning on looking at the books. As expected, his friends closed their books and Thomas proposed that they all went outside to enjoy the day a little. Everyone was all right with the idea, except Scorpius who told them he wanted to write to his parents before, he told them he would rejoin them afterward in the park.

When they left, he made sure no one was watching and walked to the shelf where all the potions' books were aligned. There were a lot of them, to say the least. He remembered what the other man had said and looked at the older editions of _Advanced Potions_. He grabbed a few, opened them, but there was nothing special with them. He was about to give up, convinced that the other man had just been playing with him. He had been stupid to think otherwise. He was a sort of relief too, he would not have to get out of his comfort zone finally.

He promised himself the one he had grabbed would be the last one he would check out and he opened _Advanced Potions, 2nd Edition (1903)_. An envelope fell from its pages to the ground. He picked it up quickly, there was a small fox drawn on the envelope.

-"You know there are more recent editions of this book?" Lysander said while leaning on the shelf at the end of the row.

Scorpius's heart stopped as he rapidly put the envelope in his robe pocket, hoping his friend had not noticed it. She told him she had come back to the library, because she had forgotten her quill. He nodded and put the, now empty, book on the shelf, where he had taken it. He told Lysander he would just drop his things in his dormitory before going to the park with them.

He dropped his things on his bed and he immediately grabbed the envelope. He looked at the fox drawing and felt his cheeks redden and his heart racing. The paper was almost burning under his fingers and he couldn't believe this was actually happening. Carefully, he opened the envelope, looking at the letter and he couldn't refrain from smiling. There was only one word written on the piece of paper: _Hi_. It was signed Mr. Fox.


	6. Chapter 6: Making a Mess

**Chapter 6 : Making a mess**

 _Dear Teddy,_

 _Just so you know, Albus never listened to aunt Hermione and it was me who went to talk to him about a week after our fight. He's way too proud to say he's sorry to anyone and certainly not to me. As you certainly know, I'm not the type to hold a grudge for …too long. So, a week or so after our fight, we talked and everything went back as usual between us._

 _Regarding what I'll call The Mathias Situation, well, as you will learn soon enough, it was far from over and, I have to confess, I played a part in what is to come. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have done what I did, but at that moment, I only wanted to make my brother happy. Also, I didn't know about the mysterious masked man, the letters and all that fuss at the time. So, don't judge me for what I did._

 _But for now, don't think about it, because we're still a long way from this part of the story and I don't want to spoil it for you._

 _Kisses,_

 _Lily P._

* * *

 _November 27th_

 _Dear Mr. Wolf,_

 _I was delighted to read your last letter, the part about your cousin really made me laugh. She seems very different from the rest of your family. If she's studying here at Hogwarts, I would like to meet her, she seems fun._

 _To answer your other questions, I told my parents I was gay in February of last year. I told my godmother with whom I'm very close before telling them. My friends knew since the summer before that though. Some people rejected me because of it and some became more distant, but my true friends supported me. My family was okay with it too, but my father needed more time than my mother who is almost too happy about it._

 _Truth is, it was very hard with my father at first, I thought he had rejected me and that thought hurt me more than I could have ever imagined it would. I felt I had disappointed him and I believed our relationship would never go back to what it was before. I hated myself more and more with each day and I desperately wanted to be_ " _normal_ " at the time.

 _One evening, last summer, he found me crying in my room and we finally talked about it. We had been avoiding each other for weeks. I told him about my feelings and it was the best thing I ever did, because now, everything is back to normal and I know he's proud of me and he accepts me._

 _I don't regret telling them, it was a relief in fact, because lying all the time was a heavy burden, as you certainly know._

 _Do your friends and family know about you?_

 _I'm looking forward for your next letter._

 _Affectionately,_

 _Mr. Fox_

* * *

 _November 29th_

 _Dear Mr. Fox,_

 _You're certainly more daring than me. I've only told that one friend I have about my inclinations and she's the one who persuaded me to go to the bar on Halloween's night. Not that I regret in any way, since I met you there, but usually, I'm more of a reserved person. My family don't know about me and I'm more than afraid to tell them, they are very strict and old fashion, as for my grandparents, I think they would hex me instantly with an Unforgivable spell…_

 _It's too bad for your father, but if things are okay with him now, it was indeed worth telling him. I'm sure mine would react very badly, he has really high goals for me and being gay isn't one of them, I guess._

 _I enjoy corresponding with you, I'm not feeling judged and we can talk about things I don't feel comfortable talking with anyone. I'm shy to tell you this, but I'm always thinking about you and my friends are beginning to suspect something is going on with me, I think. They've caught me daydreaming in class and the truth is I was thinking about your letters and what the next one would be. I sometimes… you know… wish we were back in that bar and I'm afraid at the same time. I don't know if I'm being clear right now, but sometimes… often, I long for you. If you think this is too much, please ignore this, I don't want this to stop because I'm being awkward right now._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Mr. Wolf_

* * *

 _December 1st_

 _Dear Mr. Wolf,_

 _Receiving your letter this morning brightened my morning more than you could ever imagine. It has been a hard week with the upcoming final exams and I didn't have much patience. I'm looking forward for the Christmas's Holiday, even if it is only in 21 days as of today. I wish I could know who you are, so I could send you letters during the holidays and a little something for Christmas._

 _I wish we could go back to that bar and that I could dance with you again. This time, I wouldn't drink so much and I wouldn't let you run away. I've been thinking about that night often these last days and I wish I could have seen your face. I'm sure it is as lovely as was the rest._

 _Each day, I can't help wondering if I walked pass you without knowing it. I muse on the idea that maybe our gaze met without us realizing it during class. I imagine that I accidentally brush against you in a crowded hallway and I wonder what it would feel like. I ask myself if I hear your voice sometimes in the Great Hall, while you're talking with friends. I know you don't want us to reveal our identities, I know you're not ready for it and I'm not asking this from you now. Although, please, at least, tell me in which house you're in. This way, I would know which colours I have to look for in the crowd._

 _I'm looking forward to meeting with you again, soon._

 _Affectionately,_

 _Mr. Fox._

* * *

Scorpius crumpled the piece of paper on which he was writing and he took a new sheet to start anew, not satisfied with his letter. He was alone in his copper and blue decorated dormitory. The sun was shining outside and the light that entered the room was beautifully coloured by the stained-glass windows. He had pretended that he wanted to take a nap to be left alone by his friends. It had been a little more than a month since he had received the first letter from Mr. Fox and they had been writing to each other since then.

When he had first replied, it had taken three days for him to get an answer in the same potion book where he had gotten the first letter. Mr. Fox had written a longer letter than the first one which was easy, since the other one was only one word long.

Their letters had then grown longer and longer. Scorpius felt they had so much to talk about, they had the same interests and it was not embarrassing to tell all those things to one another, since they didn't know each other's identity. There were no awkward silences, no prejudices, no expectations; it was simple.

They wrote about what had happened in Hogwarts, the last gossips, they also wrote about their life, their family, their goals, their fear, their career plans and many more things. Scorpius told him he wanted to be a teacher, even though he knew his family would not approve of it, and Mr. Fox told him he wanted to be a potion Master. The stranger was witty, cultured and charming in his letters, but he was also thoughtful and sensitive. He seemed to take a lot on his shoulder, Scorpius thought. He was also baffled that someone like this was in his school year and that he had never noticed him before. He felt like he had missed something. He could not stop himself from wondering who this student was.

As much as he wanted to quench his curiosity, he also did not want to know. Curiosity kills the dragon as they say. He was afraid it wouldn't be the same after that. The truth was, he wasn't prepared to go further and knowing their identity was going further, way further than he felt able to go for now. He also had to admit to himself that he did not feel confident with himself and he had no experience at all on this… level.

After the first week, they quickly began to exchange letters more and more often and Scorpius found himself daydreaming during his courses, when he was studying or while he was with his friends. He was wondering when he would receive the next letter, what it would contain. They never asked each other about their identity and never asked questions about their Houses. The only thing both knew regarding their identity was that they were both in their sixth year.

It was for this reason that Scorpius was so surprised when he had opened the last letter Mr. Fox had sent him, the letter ended with those words: _Each day, I can't help wondering if I walked pass you without knowing it. I muse on the idea that maybe our gaze met without us realizing it during class. I imagine that I accidentally brush against you in a crowded hallway and I wonder what it would feel like. I ask myself if I hear your voice sometimes in the Great Hall, while you're talking with your friends. I know you don't want us to reveal our identities, I know you're not ready for it and I'm not asking this from you. Although, please, at least, tell me in which house you're in. This way, I would know which colours I have to look for in the crowd._

Scorpius sighed heavily, not knowing what he should answer. There were a lot of students in their year, but if he told the other man what House he was in, it would reduce by four this number.

Before he could react, someone opened the drapes surrounding his bed. "I knew you were not taking a nap Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy!" Lysander exclaimed with a frown. She was tired of her friend's manners those last weeks, he was distant and easily distracted in class, he was not acting as usual.

Scorpius reached for Albus's last letter that was resting on his bed. Lysander saw it before and grabbed it, she opened it and her eyes grew bigger. Scorpius told her to stop reading and tried to retrieve it from her, but it was obviously too late.

"Please, don't say anything," Scorpius pleaded while feeling his face turn red.

Lysander looked at him with a bewildered expression and then she grinned. "Scorpius! You secretive little thing, you're truly a sly bastard! How come you were not sorted in Slytherin? I can't believe you hid that from me!"

Malfoy motioned her to speak in a lower voice, but the blond girl preferred to cast a silence spell, unable to level her voice.

Lysander insisted on knowing everything and Scorpius told her just that. He told her what had happened at the bar concerning the potion book and then with the letters. He felt relieved to have someone he could talk too about it and he trusted his friend. He hadn't talked to her about it sooner, because he was not sure it was going to continue, but in the last few days, he had thought about telling her more and more often.

After hearing the entire story, Lysander shook her head. "You've been hiding this from me for five weeks. I can't believe it!"

-"I don't know, it passed really quickly…"

Lysander laughed, she found all this very exciting and she was happy for her friend, but at the same time, she thought they were complicating things that should be simple. "Let me get this straight, you met a guy in a gay bar, you danced, drank and talked all evening and then you exchanged letters for a month on an almost everyday basis and now you're telling me you're too afraid to tell him what House you're in. He must really be into you to go through all this nonsense"

-"We're just… taking our time," Scorpius argued.

-"I think the eighteenth century just owled me, they want you back, both of you," Lysander teased while reading again Mr. Fox's letter, the boy was indeed a charmer. "So, are you going to tell him you're in Ravenclaw?"

-"I don't know, I think it's risky," Replied Scorpius while biting his lips in a very un-Malfoy manner.

-"What are you afraid of? What is the worst that can happen? You are to meet each other again anyway, so this is the logical first step to take. You can't continue to write each other anonymous letters for eternity, you're too young, vigorous men after all. I wonder in which house he's in. Do you have an idea? He sure seems romantic according to this letter and also caring… Maybe he's in Hufflepuff or in Gryffindor. Definitely not in Ravenclaw, no one in here could be this open-hearted and also, we know everyone here, we would know if someone this charming was our housemate."

Scorpius told his friend he did not want to think about it, because he did not want to know either way. He wasn't ready for this. She pointed out that he wasn't ready either to go to the gay bar and that this had not stopped him from hitting on some stranger, from dancing with him and from exchanging flirty letters with him for over a month.

-"Ok, you won, I'll tell him I'm in Ravenclaw, but this is the only thing I will ever tell him about who I am," Scorpius said.

Lysander rolled her eyes, unconvinced. She knew her friend wanted more than this, but was only afraid of being rejected.

* * *

Albus Potter and Vincent McDougall were playing Wizard Chess in the Slytherin Common Room when Jean showed up. She kissed Vincent and seated next to him on the black leather couch. "So, has he responded to you yet?" Jean asked Albus with a predatory smile.

Albus only nodded with a mysterious smile while moving his remaining tower across the board, killing Vincent's bishop. Vincent swore when he saw his friend's move.

Jean knew very well that Albus was toying with her, but she fell for it nevertheless. "Just tell me already, you sly snake!" Jean said in a falsely angry manner.

"You just have to guess, if you have the right answer, I'll tell you" Albus played, amused by his friend's reaction.

There were many students in the Slytherins's Common Room, some were reading, others were studying in small groups or playing chess. Albus and his friends were seated next to the fire place, enjoying the heat. It was always a little damp in the dungeon.

"This is not fair!" The dark-brown haired girl said, while turning her head to look at her boyfriend. "Do you know the answer Vincent?"

Vincent smiled. "Yeah, I guessed right."

Jean made an outraged expression and then she pointed her finger at him. "You'd better tell me…"

"Well, I think we'd better tell her Vince, since I don't want you to hold me responsible if you don't get to have sex for the remaining of the semester," Said Albus. "He's in Ravenclaw,"

Vincent frowned at Albus, like he had said a particularly vulgar thing.

"Oh Lala! You got yourself a smartass little bird. I hope he's not one of those who think he's so brilliant and superior compared to us, mere mortals." Jean said in her blunt fashion. "I have never seen you so patient Albus, normally you're quite quick to take a step or… three forward. I'm impressed, I did not think you could keep it in your pants for that long, he must truly be something."

Albus smiled. "Yes, I guess he is."

Jean couldn't believe her ears, she had never heard her friend talk like that about anyone. Albus Potter was sort of a player normally. His relationship with Mathias had been the first exclusive relationship he'd had to Jean's knowledge and her knowledge was extensive. From what she'd seen, Potter got bored easily with his conquests and preferred to be free to do what he wanted with whom he wanted. She had been very surprised when he had told them about Mathias and even more when it had gone on for next to six months. Albus didn't talk about it, but she knew he had taken being dumped very roughly, because it was usually the other way around. She would never admit it to him, but she thought it was a well-deserved lesson of humility for him. Albus had a tendency toward feeling superior to others and he was sometimes a little vain and too proud. He had not been sorted in Slytherin only because he was clever after all.

Jean was fascinated by Albus's newest crush and when he had told her about how they were exchanging letters and the way they had met and that they didn't know each other's identity, she had not believed him. It wasn't Albus's style to take the longer route to get to somewhere just to enjoy the view. Usually, he was very straight forward with his romantic inclinations, but, this time, she felt it was different, in a good way. She was not able to be as patient as her friend though, she highly wanted to know the other boy's identity and had spent the last weeks investigating. She had even tried to compare the hand-writing of some potential suspect to the one on the letters Albus' had received, without any success.

"You two have to meet before Christmas or all this suspense is going to kill her, man. Plus, she's going to pester me with it during the vacations." Vincent said to Albus while glancing teasingly at Jean.

Albus got up, abandoning the chess game he was about to win anyway, he had to go to his Quidditch practice, they had a match in a little more than a week against Ravenclaw. Well, that would be a good occasion to take a look at the Ravenclaw's student from his broom, he thought.

* * *

A few days later, Albus, Jean and Vincent were walking in a brisk pace in the hallway since running was forbidden, trying not to be late for their potion class. Their last class had been Advanced Care of Magical Creatures and it had taken place in the Forbidden Woods, so they had to walk all the way from there, cross Hogwarts's park, then went all the way to the dungeons to get to their potion class on time. As they turned a corner, Albus was not paying attention to where he was going, since he was talking with his friend. He gasped when he collided violently into with someone.

Then, he saw that he had walked into Scorpius Malfoy and the student had dropped his books, quills and parchments on the ground due to the impact.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," Albus said in a sincere way to the blond man.

Scorpius stared at him in an annoyed way and squatted to pick up his things.

Looking at the mess, Jean's attention suddenly went to an envelope that had fallen on the ground with the other things. She wondered if what she thought she was seeing was real and pinched herself hard, not believing her own eyes.

Albus squatted to help Scorpius gather his belongings.

"Don't touch that!" Scorpius said as he reached for the letter Jean had not stopped eyeing and grabbed all his quills, parchments and the books he had been carrying, to quickly throw them haphazardly into his bag.

"Whoa man, I was just trying to help!" Albus said defensively while holding his hands up in a mocking way.

"I don't need help, thank you very much Potter" Scorpius answered the slytherin boy in a dry voice.

Scorpius and Albus didn't know each other very much even though they were in the same year. They had only their botanic class together.

Albus's cousins and his big brother did not like the blond boy and his superior demeanour, they thought he was just like his father and was raised to dislike Malfoy of all sorts. Albus only knew Draco Malfoy's son because of his father reputation. His parents and family member had told him, his brother and his sister many stories about Draco Malfoy. He knew his siblings despised the son because of what the father did, but Albus didn't know Scorpius Malfoy and did not care about him. James and Lily thought he was a snob, arrogant and a spoiled brat, but Albus saw him more as a very discreet and reserved student, he agreed about the snob thing though.

Albus wasn't the type to be influenced by others, he preferred to judge by himself and forge his own opinion. He could tell from the way Malfoy had pronounced his last name, the blond boy didn't like him very much and he thought the reason for it was precisely his last name. He couldn't imagine Draco Malfoy telling his son very good things about the Potter and the Weasley family.

Albus rolled his eyes at the blonde's reaction, got up and walked away with Jean and Vincent. He did not notice the shocked expression on Jean's face as they entered the potion classroom.

* * *

Jamie Nott was absorbed in writing down different game strategies while the other members of her Quidditch team were warming up. Rodolfa Greengrass, their Keeper, seemed to be nervous about the upcoming match. She was in her fourth year and it was the first year she was playing. She wasn't bad, but lacked confidence thought Jamie. She would have to spend time on this with her thought Jamie while shivering, it was early December and the weather was bad. It was raining and snowing at the same time and it was windy. Those were not the best condition to practise, but they did not have a choice since the match against Ravenclaw was in five days and their adversaries had reserved the Quidditch pitch for the next two days.

She did not hear Anna Goyle approach and jumped a little when the girl talked to her.

"If possible, I would like to talk to you after the practice," Anna Goyle said.

Nott nodded and watched the girl fly away, her long curly brown hair darting out of her helmet. She was not what you would call pretty, but she was not ugly either. She was tall and big-boned, but had a feminine shape nevertheless.

Jamie's then turned her attention to Greengrass who swore once more as Vincent MacDougall succeeded once again to score in one of her goals. She definitely had to do something about her.

Jamie made them practice until they were all beyond cold and Vincent complained for the tenth time that they would lose on Saturday if they continued because they were all going to be sick. Jamie had dismissed their complaints for almost an hour before letting them go. She was gathering the material when Anna Goyle came to her. Her other team mates were long gone in their locker room. Jamie had forgotten the batter wanted to talk to her after the practice, but she remembered when seeing her. It was a little strange, because Anna Goyle was not a very talkative person and it was the first time she had asked to talk to her. Anna and Jamie were not close, in fact, Jamie didn't trust her on a personal level. She was a good batter and that was it.

"Is this about Saturday's match?" Jamie inquired.

Anna shook her head. "No, it's about a personal matter."

"Please, don't tell me I'll have to replace you this Saturday," Jamie said.

Each and every time one of her players had talked to her in this fashion, it was to ask to be replaced for a match and she hated that.

"No, I want to talk to you about your dad."

Jamie felt herself tighten, no liking where this was heading one bit. She crossed her arms tightly over her stomach and glances coldly at the other girl. "I haven't talked to him in years."

"I know, this is why I'm asking you about this. I…He…I want to know how you did it."

Jamie frowned, not understanding what she was meaning.

"I don't want to go back to my home and family for the holidays, or ever…" Anna said, this time avoiding Jamie's sight.

Jamie did not understand why the girl would say that. She had always seemed close to her family, they were sending her letters each week and sometimes presents. She looked like she was a spoiled only child. "I, myself, live with my aunt. I left my home when I was in my second year at Hogwart because I couldn't bear to live with my family anymore. We had… conflicting ideas and values, to say the least. I usually don't talk about this and truly I don't think you can understand… When I chose to leave, it wasn't some spoiled only child small rebellion," Jamie Nott said in a condescending manner.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence between them. They both glared at each other, tension rising and then Anna spoke again. "My father hits me."

Jamie felt the blood leaving her face in a second, not believing what she had just heard. Why did the girl confided in her? They were not even next to being close, she thought. She also felt bad for treating the girl in a condescending manner and for disliking her based on what she imagined she knew of her based on her family name.

"Do you have a place to go?" Jamie said.

"No, I'll just stay at Hogwarts, I guess," Anna responded.

Anna Goyle had other relatives, but they would never accept to shelter her. They were too close to her father and would send her back immediately, even if they knew what would happen to her.

Jamie nodded, no knowing what she should tell the girl. She was never physically abused by her father, only verbally. She was wondering why the girl had confessed this to her, they weren't close. Then, she realized that Anna was close to no one. She was a loner. Maybe she had seen Jamie has the only one who wouldn't judge her or would not tell the others. Jamie wasn't into gossiping at all, in fact, she hated when people did not mind their own business.

"You should go talk to Mrs. Parkinson about that." Jamie told Anna, she was sure the Head of Slytherin and metamorphosis teacher would help the girl. She was very protective and ferocious about her students and their welfare.


	7. Chapter 7: Bad surprises

**Chapter 7 : Bad surprises…**

"I know what I saw Vincent!" Jean Franklin said with impatience. She could not believe her boyfriend doubted her.

Vincent shook his head in a dismissive way.

Jean had been distracted during their potion class and she had been lucky Professor Frasier did not take a look at was she was doing with her mistletoe berry or he would certainly have subtracted points from Slytherin. The second their class had been over, she'd taken her boyfriend by the arm and led him to an empty classroom, shutting the door behind them. Before he could say anything, she had told him that Albus's mysterious correspondent was no other than Scorpius Malfoy. Vincent did not believe and here they were, arguing about it.

"Listen to me for a second, you are mistaken. The Malfoy heir is not gay and also, he would be unable to write such letters. Have you seen him? Always acting like he is above everybody else, not talking to anyone, except to his housemates. He should be the one with sneer upon, we all know which side his family took during the war and they're only free today, because they turned their cloak at the last second." Vincent said.

"Well, he's friends with Lysander Scamander, she's cool, she wouldn't befriend him if he was a bad person." Jean argued.

Vincent sighed. "You know how those Scamander is, look at her little brother, they're… specials."

"I once saw the Scamander boy talking to the trees in the park." Jean admitted.

Vincent gave her a knowing smile.

"Nevertheless, I'm absolutely sure as to what I saw, I recognized Albus's letter paper. Also, what do you know about Scorpius Malfoy's sexual orientation?" Jean added.

Vincent replied that anyone could have the same paper as Albus and that didn't prove anything. Also, she did not see Albus's handwriting on it. Moreover, she only saw the envelope on the ground for about five seconds and she was more than five feet away.

"As to Scorpius Malfoy sexual orientation, I'm a guy and we just know those things." Vincent replied.

"Of course… like you so quickly knew for Albus?" Jean mocked while lifting one of her eyebrows.

Vincent had been the last to be informed of Albus's inclinations and when he had known, he had been very surprised and it came as a shock to him at first. He was even more stunned when he realized everybody else he knew had guessed or had been told, except him. He was Albus's best friend after all and he wondered how he could have missed that. Nevertheless, he had accepted Albus immediately and had said he was very glad about it, since it made more women for him. Jean wasn't dating him at that time, but she had rolled her eyes upon hearing this.

"That was wholly different, Albus is a Quidditch player and he's my best friend. It's like when you see someone every day and don't notice if they've gained weight or lose weight, but when you meet someone you've not encountered in a while, you immediately see it. It's really the same here." Vincent explained in an assured manner.

"You know, you should reconsider your career choice, because you would be a very good lawyer, you seem so sure of yourself when you speak nonsense… If you say I don't have proof that the envelope I saw was indeed Albus's letter, then you can't say you have proof Scorpius Malfoy is not gay!" Jean replied.

"Regardless, this is none of your business and you should let this go. Don't go and tell this to Albus, if you're wrong, you'll ruin… whatever it is he's having."

"But what if I'm right?" Jean said.

"Then, when comes the time they realize who they'd been writing to, this will come an end and you'll be entitled to tell me that you'd told me so," Vincent replied.

Jean came closer to her boyfriend and put her hands around him. "I would like to tell you that…" Jean muttered.

"I'm sure you do." Vincent said with a smile and then, he kissed her.

"I was looking for the both of you, I hope I'm not interrupting something, but next time guys, you really should lock the door." Albus said after having opened the said door.

It was dark in the empty classroom due to the lack of windows and Albus took a step to be closer to his friends and then he sat on one of the tables.

"Actually, we were talking about you," Jean said with a mischievous grin.

Vincent frowned, he had just told her not to tell his friend what she thought she had seen. "No, what she meant is…"

"What I meant was that it is about time you and your mystery boy meet each other!" Jean cut off.

"You know he's not ready…" Albus replied hesitantly.

They heard the rumble of steps in the hallway and quieted for a moment, but no one came into the classroom. It must have been some students heading for lunch.

"Has he told you that? Or are you just afraid he'll turn you down?" Jean asked.

Albus hesitated. "Well…"

"That's what I thought. Next letter, you ask him on a date or something!" Jean said.

Albus was not sure about that, in fact, this was the first time he'd been so afraid to ask someone on a date. Normally, he wasn't the shy type and he just took what he wanted, but this was different. He had never been so strangely involved with someone before. In Albus's mind, sexual attraction was always the beginning of a romantic relationship, but in this case, it was something else. Yes, when they were at the bar he had found the masked young man attractive, very attractive in fact, but there had been something else, something in the boy's eyes had captivated him. He remembered the way the other man was looking at the dance floor like he had never seen anything like this in his whole life and how that had made him want to talk to him and then, the other man had looked at him and he had felt a smile cross his lips. The first natural smile he'd had that night, after what had happened with Mathias.

Albus had hidden the first letter in the potion book two days after their encounter and had checked the book for an answer almost every day after that. He was about to give up, thinking he had made a mistake in assuming the other man was a Hogwarts's student or thinking he was interested when he had received Mr. Wolf's reply.

" _November 8th_

 _Dear Mr. Fox,_

 _As you can guess from this letter, I received yours._

 _I want you to know I had a wonderful evening with you at the bar. I know I left in a hurry and that was not very polite of me._

 _Truthfully, I'm not used to all this, so excuse my awkwardness._

 _I hope to hear from you soon._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mr. Wolf_ "

Albus had immediately replied to the letter, but he had waited a few days before putting it in the book, not wanting to look too eager. Then, many more were exchanged.

"I think you're right Jean, I'll tell him I'd like us to meet again in my next letter," Albus replied to his friend.

It was now or never, thought Albus. They had been writing almost every day to one another for six weeks now. He felt he knew the man more than he had ever known Mathias in six months. They had told each other so many personal things about themselves through those letters, they had confided in one another without shame, hidden behind their masks. Albus wondered how it would feel to see him again, after all they'd share in those letters. Would it be awkward? Would he see the same things he had seen in him that night or was that just the effects of all the alcohol he had had at that time?

He had told him about things he had never told anyone, not even his closest friends.

* * *

When Anna Goyle knocked on Professor Parkinson's door, she immediately regretted it, but before she could turn around and walk away, she heard the Slytherin's Headmistress tell her to come in. Anna pushed the door open and entered the office, shutting the door behind her. The room was heavily decorated, with Persian carpets on the grounds, suspended tapestries and the bookshelves were full of dusty books on every wall, there were also books on the ground, in small piles. It was also dark, because the only light sources came from a large suspended chandelier, because, since they were in the dungeons, there were no windows. Professor Amelia Parkinson was seated at her desk, which was full of books, trinkets and parchments. She was a Transfiguration teacher and a registered Animagus, she transformed into a crow. Everyone thought it suited her, because of her straight black hair that she always kept very short. She was strict, but was well loved by her students, because she was just. She was also a devoted and patient teacher.

Professor Parkinson lifted her head from the parchment she was writing on and she looked at Anna. She knew all of her students, but she was surprised to see this one in her office, because Anna Goyle had never spoken to her in the previous six years. The House Headmistress motioned the student to sit on the one chair that faced her desk that wasn't covered with books. She looked at the tough-looking girl and she could feel her nervousness. Anna was not looking her in the eyes, she had braided her long curly hair and was playing with the braid, she was seated on the end of the chair, looking ready to get up and walk away at any moment.

"Good afternoon Anna. What can I do for you?" The teacher asked.

* * *

Albus shivered despite the warming charm he had cast just a few seconds earlier over the rooftop of the astronomy tower. The truth was it was more from nervousness than from cold that he shivered. He swore at himself, he had never been this nervous about meeting someone. Usually, he was bold and daring with the men he was interested in, but this was different. He felt there was a lot at stake, because he didn't want to lose the other man, they had shared a lot, even if it was only by letters. He felt they were friends and more already. He really wanted this first unmasked encounter between them to work. He was also worried what would happen if it didn't click the way it did at the bar, it was almost two months ago after all. Maybe what he had felt when he had looked the other man in the eyes had only been induced by the emotions related to his breakup and by alcohol.

Surely, they could be friends, but he knew that wouldn't satisfy him completely, he longed for the Ravenclaw, he thought about him every day and he was afraid he was now having feelings for a ghost that existed only in his own imagination.

Albus searched in his pocket and retrieved the letter he had received from the man two days before.

 _"December 18th_

 _Dear Mr. Fox,_

 _When you asked me about my House, I swore to myself I would not tell you more about my identity, but time has passed since then and I realize that my friend had been right, this can't go on like that forever. Like you, I want more._

 _I'll be there on Friday evening, without my mask._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Mr. Wolf."_

Albus looked at his muggle watch, a gift from his grandfather, Arthur Weasley, and sighed. The other man was late. I didn't matter, he thought, as long as he came. He sat down on the bench he had summoned and resisted taking a sip of the butterbeers he had brought for them. He looked up at the stars, they were clearly visible this night, but he couldn't keep his attention on them for very long. His mind always went to the person he was expecting and each time he heard a sound, he looked at the door, but it remained stubbornly closed.

Tomorrow was the Quidditch Winter Championship against Ravenclaw and he had hoped that upon knowing who his secret penpal had been, he would have tried to impress him with his skills during the match. Potter looked at his watch again; the other man was very late. He sighed with impatience, wondering when he would arrive and why he was so late. His nervousness was soon replaced with disappointment as the minutes went on and on without the other man appearing.

Albus Potter waited one hour and a half before going back to his dormitory, realizing the other man would never come. Saying he was disappointed, hurt and angry was a euphemism. He tore the other man's letter into shreds while going down the steps that led to his common room, planning to do the same with his other letters. He felt like he had been slapped in the face. He could not believe he had been stood up. He thought they were close, but it was obviously not the way the other man was feeling.

Vincent, Jean and other Slytherin's students were in the common room when he entered it. They only had to look at his clenched teeth and tensed face to know it was not the time to talk to him as he went directly to his dormitory.

Jean whispered in her boyfriend's ear. "Do you think he's making that face because he now knows he had been sending letters and fantasizing about Malfoy for two months or do you think Malfoy never came?"

"I don't know and, again, you don't have any proof it is Malfoy, but if it is, that could explain his mood." Vincent murmured back.

"Anyways, you should go talk to him," Jean said, pointing at Albus's dormitory door.

"Have you seen his face, I don't have a death wish, we should leave him alone for tonight, he'll talk to me if he wants to, this is none of our business," Vincent replied.

* * *

The Quidditch match between Ravenclaw had started more than an hour ago and Ravenclaw was leading. Rodolfa Greengrass was shooed by her own housemates, because she was letting almost every Quaffle go through her goals. Her teammates were trying their best to cover for her, but it was difficult for them to do so while doing their own job. Vincent whistled in Jean's direction, signalling her for an opening on his side and his girlfriend tossed him the Quaffle, he quickly went for the goal and scored.

Jamie felt a Bludger brush against her leg and turned around to see Akayla Burns, one of the beaters from Ravenclaw smirking at her even though she had missed her. Jamie shook her head, this match was not going the way she had planned. She lifted her gaze, looking for Albus, wishing he was close to catching the Snitch.

In the terraces, parents and students from each house had come to watch the last match of the season. Lily had joined her parents and her big brother to watch the game. James was usually very busy, because he was currently studying to be an Auror and the training was very hard and time-consuming, but he had managed to come to see his little brother play.

"I never thought I would once wave a Slytherin flag…" James said while waving the said flag for his brother.

Ginny and Harry couldn't resist telling their older son they were feeling the same, but then, they made him swore not to tell Albus about what they had just said. Ginny had always been very supportive of Albus, but it was always strange for her to think her beloved little boy was in Slytherin. Over the years she had met his friends, they came to her house often during the summer break, but it had helped that Jean and Vincent were not the children of her old enemies or of Death Eaters. She would have felt uneasy if Albus had been friends with, let's say, Goyle's daughter.

For some reason, she liked Jamie Nott, though. Ginny knew she didn't speak to her father, because Albus had told her so and the girl seemed serious, respectful and she was a very talented Quidditch player. Also, Ginny was the one who had submitted the girl's name to the Harpies, her former team when she still played professionally. The Captain of her son's team did not know it, but the Harpies would make her an official offer before spring.

"What is he doing?" Lily complained loudly while looking at Albus.

Her brother seemed slower than usual and he had not found the Snitch yet, an hour after the match had begun, that was really unusual for him. He seemed inattentive. The Ravenclaw's seeker was a small blond haired girl that Lily only knew by sight, she was in her second year. She was unexperienced and her attention was more directed on Albus than on finding the Snitch. Lily thought she was planning on Albus to find it before her and on pursuing him after he had seen it, trying to snatch it from him.

"Maybe he's tired," Ginny said, trying to make excuses for her son.

Usually, Albus was a very good Quidditch player and he spotted the Snitch very rapidly.

"Yeah, maybe he had a very… busy night," James teased with a perverted smile.

"James!" Ginny scolded, while putting a hand on her husband's thigh.

Harry pointed Albus. "Look!"

Albus had moved closer to his other teammates and he seemed to have noticed something. Harry saw it too, the distant flicker of the Snitch, near one of the Ravenclaw's goals. Albus had seen it too, but he wasn't going for it. He was pretending not to have seen it, because the Ravenclaw's seeker was closer to it than he was and she was still scrutinizing him. Albus made a feint to the left, like he had seen the Snitch there and it worked. The blond girl rapidly flew where he wanted her to. When he saw she was far enough from the goal, he suddenly turned his broom abruptly to change direction. The Slytherin students were now standing up, shouting encouragement, saluting the ruse of their housemate and laughing at the Ravenclaw's seeker. The Ravenclaw students were shouting too, but for the opposite reason.

While he was going for the real Snitch, Albus couldn't resist looking at the Ravenclaw's terraces for an instant, instead of looking where he was heading. Because of that moment of inattention, he never saw the Bludger that was coming right at him. It hit him hard on the left shoulder, destabilizing him. He tried to hold onto his broom, but he lost his balance, he had been unprepared for the blow and he fell from his broom in the sand below. His teammates, who had not noticed he had been hit by the Bludger, except for Rodolfa Greengrass, were alerted by the now panicked shouts that came from the terraces and the game stopped when the arbitrator whistled loudly.

James was the quickest to stand up, quickly followed by the rest of his family as they rushed to where Albus had fallen.

Jamie was angrily stuffing her clothes in her bag and making sure the empty locker room was in order before leaving it. The match had been a disaster and, because they had lost both their match against Gryffindor and against Ravenclaw, they would have to win all their other matches to make it to the finale. She knew that with Rodolfa Greengrass as their keeper, that would be impossible. They had not lost because of Albus's fall, they were already losing before that.

After Albus's accident, the game had stopped to make sure the player was okay and he had been taken to the infirmary. The match had then continued for a while, Ravenclaw had a decisive advantage and, because Rodolfa was so upset by Albus's accident, she was letting every Quaffle go through her goals. According to the rules, injured players cannot be replaced during a match, so Slytherin was missing its seeker. When it was clear the Ravenclaw seeker would not catch the Snitch, both Captains agreed to end the game. For Jamie, it felt almost like a relief to end this bitter humiliation.

She had drily told a crying Rodolfa she was out of the team upon landing and she had then sent her players to the locker room. A student had intercepted her before she had time to get to the women's locker room and had told her Ms. Pomfresh wanted her to know Albus had a broken leg. Jamie dismissed the second year student without thanking him and went to the locker room. She wondered what the matter with Potter had been during the match. He wasn't concentrated at all or he would never have been caught by this Bludger, he reacted quicker than that, usually. He was lucky he didn't get more than a broken leg after the fall he'd had.

When she got to the locker room, it was already empty. Rodolfa mustn't have felt like facing her after having been kicked out of the team. Jean and Anna must have felt it was better not to be alone with her at this time. Jamie was glad to be alone, in fact. She had hoped to impress Ginny Potter, knowing she was here today to see Albus play. She knew the women had many contacts with the Holyhead Harpies, since she had been on their team for eight years before retiring to become a Quidditch reporter. Since Jamie had been contacted by their recruiters, she thought that showing off to Ms. Potter would play in her favour. However, after today's game, let's say her hopes had gone up in smoke.

After a last look over the empty room, she pulled the door to exit it and came face to face with a ghost from her past.

"That was indeed a disappointing match." Theodore Nott said with an ice-cold smile while staring down at his only child.

Jamie shivered while sustaining her father's gaze. The man looked exactly the same as when she had last seen him, five years ago. He was wearing black robes, a black fur doubled the cape and had grown a short beard. His dark-brown hairs were sprinkled with silver and, if his lips were still pretending to smile, his eyes weren't.

They were alone in the deserted hallway between the locker rooms and Jamie didn't like it one bit.

Mr. Nott took a step to get closer to Jamie and she instinctively took a step back, her back against the locker room's door. "My dear Jamie, don't you have anything to say to your father after all those years? Didn't you miss me?" The man added, his smile turning into a smirk.

"Why are you here?" Jamie asked, trying to control her voice, not wanting the man she hated the most to see her uneasiness.

"I came to see you play, like any father would, and also to announce you you'll be coming home for the holidays."

Jamie frowned. "I would not count on that if I was you."

"Your aunt Cecilia died yesterday, I came in person to tell you the news myself." Theodore Nott replied cruelly.

Jamie felt a dagger go through her heart. It wasn't possible. How could her aunt have died yesterday without her having been notified? She had been living with her aunt Cecilia since she was twelve, she considered her as her mother. This was a nightmare. She was so shocked she was not even able to cry and she would have preferred to die than to give her father the satisfaction to see her crying in front of him.

"Since the bitch his dead and since you're still minor, I now have full custody of you. I'm so glad to be reunited with my lost sheep of a daughter. We have so much to discuss." Mr. Nott said while putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder and squeezing it spitefully.

Jamie violently pushed her father's hand away and made a step to the side so her back would not be against the door anymore. She reached for her wand, but her father was faster and unarmed her in an instant.

"Don't try that with me my stupid little girl. I will teach you good manners, since you seem to lack them." Mr. Nott said, aiming his wand at his now unarmed daughter.

"I'll never go with you, you disgust me!" Jamie said, looking on the ground around her for her wand.

"You will respect your father! _Crucio_!" Mr. Nott hexed.

Jamie fell hardly to the ground, shouting and crying. She had never been hexed with an Unforgivable Curse before and she was not prepared for the excruciating pain. It felt like her blood was boiling inside her and her skin was being peeled off her body. When her father lifted the curse, she was unable to get on her feet, her whole body was shacking uncontrollably and she was struggling to breathe normally. She felt some movement next to her and heard her father whispering in her hear. "Now, that's a good girl. I'm looking forward to see you at Christmas."

She heard him walk away as tears rolled down her cheeks.


	8. Chapter 8: It's okay

**Chapter 8 : It's okay**

James sat next to his brother on the grey couch of the Potter living room which was heavily decorated for Christmas. Harry always decorated the house himself for this holiday, because it was his favourite one. His child often laughed at him for his obsession with decorations that were often, in their opinion, quite cheesy. The Boy Who Lived didn't mind them laughing at him and Ginny knew how sharing this holiday with his family was important for him, because, as a kid, he never had the opportunity to do so.

There was a big Christmas tree near the fireplace where three socks were hung, they were knitted by Molly Weasley a long time ago and the name of each child of Ginny and Harry was embroidered on them. Under the tree, there was a porcelain village which was magically animated, small figurines were skating on a glass ice rink, some were singing Christmas carols, others were making a snowman. When James had been younger, he had been fascinated with the small village, he could look at it very long. As he watched the figurines interact with one another, he wondered what they were doing the rest of the year and wanted his dad to keep the village all year round, because he felt sorry they had to return in their boxes for such a long time.

The handrail of the stairway was bedecked with a pine tree garland, decorated with red ribbons and small lights that kept on changing colours. A scenting charmed had been cast in the house, because it smelled like cinnamon cookies and Albus knew that none were cooking.

The Potter's home was big, it was not a manor, but it was comfortable and the rooms were spacious. They also had a big backyard and a small vegetable garden in the summer. The Potter family was very wealthy, but Harry had not wanted his kid to be spoiled brats and they had been raised knowing the value of money. They had all they needed and, in fact, they were spoiled, but they were required to participate in the choirs and if they wanted something, they had to earn it.

"What are you watching?" James asked while putting his feet on the coffee table, looking at the TV.

Since their father had been raised by muggles, they had many muggle objects in their home.

"A Christmas Carol, there's nothing other than Christmas movies." Albus answered, petting their fat long-haired tabby cat who was sleeping on his lap.

After his accident, Albus had been taken to Hogwarts's infirmary and had had the worst night in his life after Ms. Pomfresh had given him a dose of Skele-gro potion to repair his broken leg. His father had already told him how much it had hurt him in his third year, but experiencing it himself had been different than being told about it. It felt like his bones were slowly twisting inside his leg. Ms. Pomfresh had told his family to come pick him up in the morning; they were so close to the Christmas holidays, it was okay for him to miss three days of class. Also, his leg would hurt him for a few days, so he would be more comfortable at home.

James had been very glad about it, not about the injury, but to be able to spend some time with his younger brother. They wrote many letters to one another, but it was not the same as being face to face. They had always been very close and it had been hard for them to be apart, since James had graduated from Hogwart.

"How is your leg?" James asked looking at his brother's leg.

Albus shrugged. "I guess it's okay, it's just a little sore."

"Too bad for your team, you were their only chance to win this match. Sorry bro, but your Keeper is so bad, I wonder how this is even possible!" James said laughing a little.

His brother sighed, but smiled. "She was not that bad during practices, but she lacks confidence, I guessed she can't handle the pressure."

"If you want to beat the Gryffindor team, you'll need to see to this, for sure. I'm not taking sides between you or our little sister, I'm just stating a fact." James added, laughing, as he motioned to push his brother's shoulder in a teasing manner.

The cat that was still on Albus's lap hissed at him and angrily shook its tail when James motioned to touch his brother.

James quickly retrieved his hand, fearing the animal's claws. "I hate this fucking cat."

"I think the feeling is mutual... So, how is it going between you and Gabriella?" Albus asked, changing the subject.

James sighed.

"She wants us to get married." James answered making a face.

"So…?"

"She keeps telling me that we've been together for four years now, that all her friends are starting to get marry, that some of them are even talking about having kids. Do you imagine? Kids! It is not that I don't love her, I truly do, but I feel… I don't know. I guess I feel things will change if we marry. We will just settle down in a small house, in some suburb, she'll want to have kids and we'll stop having sex… I mean, I've not finished my Auror training yet and before that, we were at Hogwarts, so I just want to take my time before having a family and living this kind of life. I feel I didn't have the time to just live my life. I want a career, I want to travel, and I'm just not ready to settle down right now." James explained.

Albus nodded, he understood his big brother and he thought he was right. James was still so young, he had not even finished his Auror training. He had always found Gabriella was boring as hell, she was not like James who was ambitious and dynamic. She came from a muggle family, she wanted to work as a kinder garden teacher, she was not interested in anything interesting, really. She was beautiful, though, kind, friendly, soft-spoken and a true hufflepuff. Moreover, Albus did not feel ready to be an uncle yet, even though he knew he would be the coolest uncle.

"What about you? Is there anyone in your life you want to present to dad so he can have a heart attack? Lily told me you broke up with that Gryffindor boy and punched him quite hard in the face in the process." The older brother asked Albus with a mocking smile.

Albus made a face to his brother. He didn't know their dear little sister had told this to their brother, he'll certainly take revenge for this and took a mental note to that effect.

"Yeah, he was seeing someone else…" Albus replied.

"Fair enough, then, but this doesn't answer my question, my dear secretive little brother. Any new… conquest?" James smiled inquiringly.

Albus did not want to talk about the Ravenclaw student. He was still hurt and he felt the way the other man had not shown up the other evening was a clear message meaning he was not interested after all. So, why tell his brother about it when this was obviously going nowhere.

"No." Albus replied shortly.

"Woah, you were able to keep it in your pants for that long? I'm impressed, knowing you!" James said.

"You make it sound like I'm some sort of pervert… I'll have you know, I'm a healthy young men with healthy young men needs and, as it happens, I often find healthy young men with the means to fulfill those needs." Albus replied with a smirk, a wicked glimmer in his eyes.

James rolled his eyes and laughed. "If you say so…"

"The truth is you're jealous, because you've been in a relationship with the same person for four years and you don't get to taste different… fruit." Albus snorted while lifting his head in a very proud, Slytherin manner.

"If you want to believe that... But really Albus, I just want to make sure you're fine. You seem concerned with something. Is there something you want to tell me? I'm a little worried…"

They stopped talking when they heard their parents opening the front door, due to the nature of their conversation, it was better if they didn't hear about it. They were gone for errands all morning, since Lily was coming back from Hogwarts in the afternoon. "Hi kids!" They shouted from the portico.

The boys looked at the grocery bags that were floating to the kitchen and unpacking themselves magically. Their mother had bought enough food to feed a small army and they weren't even the one who would greet the family for Christmas. Ginny had suggested to her mother that she could welcome the family to their house this year for Christmas Eve, since she was getting older and it was a lot a work to receive their very large family, but Molly Weasley had refused to hear about it. She said that she had always received the family for Christmas at the Burrow and had added that if she was too old to greet her children, they might as well dig her grave. Ginny had rolled her eyes, her mother had always been dramatic, but she had managed to let her mother at least accept her help with the preparations.

Harry entered the living room, walking around the big Christmas tree. "Still watching TV? The weather is beautiful, you should both go outside a little, before we go to the train station to get your sister."

"Don't push him Harry, he has to take care of his leg." Ginny told her husband from the kitchen.

"Ms. Pomfresh told us he has to exercise it, he's fine, don't overprotect him. I'm not asking him to run a marathon!" Harry answered while joining the red head in the kitchen.

James turned to his brother. "Do you want to take a small stroll before the she-devil is here?"

Albus nodded and got up.

* * *

Anna Goyle was nervously fiddling with her braid. She was seated in the Hogwarts Headmistress's office. The paintings of the precedent Headmasters were looking at her and murmuring to one another. She could hear them murmuring about her father and how they knew something like that would happen. The painting of Albus Dumbledore was smiling reassuringly at her, not taking part in the conversation his fellow paintings were having. Minerva McGonagall, Professor Parkinson and a middle-aged woman from the Wizarding Child Services (W.C.S.), named Lynn, was seated next to her. They had all listened carefully to her story, stopping her from time to time to ask her a question or two.

While she was talking, she could see a quill magically writing down on a parchment every word she was saying. Anna had never felt so ashamed; it was like stripping before strangers who were analyzing each and every inch of your body for hours and commenting about it in front of you. As she talked, the Slytherin student kept her gaze on her hands as she was tearing at her cuticles nervously. It was her second meeting with the W.C.S., she had already testified to another social worker about three weeks ago, but they had told her it she would have to testify more than once, so this was the usual procedure. She wondered how many times she would have to tell it. She was not a very talkative person and she hated to tell them about it.

Anna didn't like to think about herself like she was a victim, she hated feeling weak, because she knew she wasn't. She hated their questions, she didn't understand why they needed so much detail. _How many times did he hit you?_ She didn't remember every detail of every time her father had hit her. _When did it start?_ _Does your mother know about it?_ She could take a few slaps, even a punch or two, she had always managed to, but last summer it had gotten worse, way worst. Her father had started to drink again and her mother had left him for good this time, abandoning her daughter as she had always done, unable to protect her. _Where did he hit you? How did he hit you?_ After that, the beating had become worse and worse, to a point where she had to cast a spell on herself to hide the bruises.

 _Did he ever touch you in an inappropriate way?_ Did he? She remembered the way he was looking at her last summer, the way he had pressed her thighs a little too long and that time he grabbed her when he had been particularly drunk and had pressed his body against hers, but these only happened a few times. It was not like she was sexually abused. _Did he make you touch him?_ It was enough, she couldn't take it anymore. She told them she wanted to stop, they stopped for five minutes and then, they resumed.

When she had finished her testimony, they thanked her and announced her she wouldn't have to go back to her home. They had collected enough evidences before for a temporary judgment, but now, with the new evidences, they would be able to get a final judgment to give her custody to the Wizard Child Services until she would come of age. That scared her, she didn't know where she would go and they told her they were going to try to find her a house, but if they weren't able to, she would have to go to the Child Services facilities for the summer, since she had no family. She was not looking forward to this, but it was only one year she told herself, because wizards were considered adults at seventeen.

She felt exhausted, so she decided to go back to the Slytherin common room. The hallways were strangely empty, there were very few students who didn't go home for the holidays, in fact, there were about twelve. The teachers were mostly gone too. The house elves, who were normally discreet and didn't wander in the hallways, were now everywhere to be seen and Anna could see there were a lot of them. She told the password to the stone wall hiding the Slytherin Common Room entrance and it opened before her. The room seemed empty at first, but then she saw Jamie Nott reading on the couch neat the fireplace. Anna took a step in her direction.

"You're not going back home for the holidays?" Anna asked without sitting down on the couch.

"No…" Jamie answered without lifting her gaze from the book she was pretending to read.

Anna nodded slowly, not knowing what to tell her Captain, feeling like she had reached her talking limit for the day. She glanced at the Christmas tree in the centre of the room, it was decorated with silver ornaments to match the Slytherin's colour and she thought she preferred a more colourful tree, but she'll never say so, it was a foolish thing to say.

"You don't need to tell me anything, if you prefer to be alone, I'll leave." Anna added.

"No, stay with me." Jamie pleaded.

Anna lifted her brows with surprise, she had never heard the girl speak with such a tone.

"Please…" The Quidditch Captain added in a faint voice.

After a moment of hesitation, Anna sat down on the couch next to her, not saying anything. They stayed like this for a long time, silently watching the fire burning in the fireplace. They were the only Slytherin students not going back to their home and they had the common room all to themselves. They jumped a little when a house elf appeared in front of them and put a tray filled with hot chocolates, cookies and fruits in front of them without saying a word and he disappeared soon after. As if the small creature had felt their dismay and had wanted to comfort them. It was strange, how could he have known where they were and how they were feeling? Jamie took a cup of hot chocolate and pressed the hot porcelain against her chest enjoying the heat. Anna ate a cookie while looking at the other girl. The Quidditch Captain was wearing grey velvet pants, a white blouse and a lilac cardigan over it. Jamie was taller than her, but she was thinner. She had an athletic build, very long, slick, black hair and a fringe. Her eyes were a dark brown, almost black; she looked like her father, except for her aquiline nose.

"The aunt with whom I was leaving died last week." Jamie said, her gaze lost in the flames.

"I'm sorry." Anna replied, uneasy.

"I'll have to go back to my father's house and I'd rather kill myself than face that."

"Aren't you seventeen years old? You're in your seventh year…" Anna asked, knowing the other woman was serious about what she had just said.

"No, I'm sixteen, my father lied when he filled my inscription, because he wanted me to start as young as possible. When they realized it, I was in my third year and it was too late. I'll turn seventeen in nine months… I already talked with Professor Parkinson about it and they'll try to do something, but since there's no history or proof of abuse, their range of action is limited." Jamie replied.

Anna didn't know what to say and maybe it was because there's nothing to say in those kinds of situations.

Jamie turned her face in her direction. "I guess this means we'll celebrate Christmas together this year, then."

"I guess." Anna replied in her usual detached tone.

* * *

"I see her!" James exclaimed while spotting a small red head girl in the crowd surrounding the train.

There was a big crowd and Albus, who was a little shorter than his brother, didn't see his sister immediately, but, soon after he glimpsed the red hair too, Albus also saw Jean and Vincent and told his parents he would go talk to them. When they saw him, they walked briskly to him. Jean kissed him on both cheeks, hugging him, once again showing her American education. Then, Vincent affectionately shook his hand, in a very British manner.

"How is your leg?" Jean asked, while someone in the crowd rudely pushed her. She turned away and insulter the small unknown gryffindor student who had dared to push her.

Albus told her his leg was fine and asked her if she was going back to Atlanta tonight with her parents. Jean was one of the few foreign Hogwarts's students. There were two wizarding schools in the United States, but since Jean's mother came from England, she had wanted her daughter to go to the same school as she had. Jean had four older brothers, but they had preferred going to an American school, not ready to leave their country for seven years. Jean loved England and was planning on asking for her citizenship after she finished school. She hoped to become an Auror and was working really hard to have the grades to be able to apply to this specialization where the places were very limited.

"Yeah, the portkey is set for six o'clock this evening. Oh, here are my parents, I have to go. I'll miss you guys!" She kissed Albus once more and then turned to her boyfriend and kissed him deeply, while holding him. "I love you!" She told him upon leaving them and he replied the same.

Albus said goodbye to Vincent, before going back to his family. They had planned to go to Diagon Alley during the holiday, so they would see each other soon enough. When Albus went back to his family, they were ready to leave. Since Lily and Albus did not have their apparition licence yet, they grabbed their parents who apparated with them to the front of their home. Lily smiled when she saw the Christmas lights illuminating their house, their dad had truly surpassed himself this year.

Lily had not stopped talking since she had gotten out of the train, telling her parents about what had happened so far in her fourth year at Hogwarts, about her grades, the Quidditch matches she had played, her friends, the teachers and it went on and on and on. When they entered the home, Albus went directly to his room, he needed some space. He lied down on his bed and closed his eyes, taking the time to relax a little before supper. Tomorrow, they would all go to the Burrow and he knew he needed to be well rested to have the patience to stand his eleven cousins. He adored his family, but sometimes he wished it was smaller, because when you're in the Weasley family, any family reunion felt like a small village gathering.

He was about to fell asleep when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in." He said , annoyed, sitting himself on his bed.

Lily came in, closing the door behind her. She then sat on the bed, next to him.

She had a bunch of envelopes tied together with a red ribbon in her hands. "Those are all the get well cards you received. I counted them, you got seventy-six cards, I'm pretty jealous." Lily laughed while tossing them to her brother.

Albus smiled teasingly. "It would be my pleasure to give you advice on how to be as cool as me, my dear little sister."

"There's one you especially should look at." Lily said, while giving him an envelope that she had kept in her hands.

For an instant, he felt his heart beat faster and hoped it was from Mr. Wolf, but, then, he realized it wasn't possible, because the man didn't know his true identity. He opened the envelope and immediately recognized Mathias's handwriting.

"I'm not interested in this bullshit." Albus said angrily, ruffling the letter.

Lily frowned, grabbing the letter from him and trying to unruffled it. "You should read it Albus! I understand you're mad at him, but he wants to apologize, you were in a relationship with him for six months, you should, at least, read this one letter."

"He's the one who cheated and lied!" Albus exclaimed.

"I know all that and I'm not asking you to return with him or to forgive him, just read what he has to say. I know he's very sad about what happened…" Lily began to say.

"He didn't seem sad to me when he pushed me into a wall!" Albus cut her.

"Albus…"

"Okay, I'll read the fucking letter, but that's all and don't talk to me about him ever again!" Albus said, highly annoyed and he took the letter from her hands.

Harry watched Ginny as she changed from her clothes to her pajamas. After having raised three kids, after all those years and after going through good and bad times, he was still deeply in love with her. When she got in bed, he put his arms around her and kissed her neck. She smiled and cuddled with him for a while. She loved his smell, it was almost impossible to describe, but she would recognize it from any other scent.

"Do you think Albus is alright?" Ginny asked, still cuddled against the black haired man.

"Yes, I think it healed just fine, I've had worst injuries than this and I'm still here today." Harry smiled, thinking her wife was worrying too much about their son's injury.

"I'm not talking about his leg Harry, I just feel he's preoccupied with something he's not telling us… Maybe James knows about it, I'll ask him tomorrow." Ginny said.

Ginny was worried about Albus, since she had received the letter from Minerva McGonagall telling her and Harry about the fight Albus had had with his sister in the Great Hall and with that other boy he had punched in the face. Ginny had talked about it with Hermione, because she knew how close she was to their son and Harry was always saying she was worrying too much about everything. He was angry that Albus had punched someone, but at the same time, he had told her that it was normal for a sixteen-year-old boy to do so. He had compared Albus with James to prove his point. Ginny did not agree with him, the two boys were so different, they were almost opposite. Albus was not a violent person, he was not like his brother James who was very fiery and had gotten in many brawls in his school years. Albus was more of a negotiator and a charmer, he didn't settle disagreement with his fists, but with his wits.

Hermione had already told them that she had spoken with Albus after the fight and she had explained how Albus had been provoked, even if it didn't excuse him completely. She had then promised Ginny she would keep an eye on her godson when she was at Hogwarts.

"I don't know Ginny, he doesn't talk to me about his things, he's a sixteen-year-old boy, it's just normal for him to take a small distance from his parents, I guess. Is James telling you everything about himself?" Harry answered.

"In fact he is, he really is a mama's boy. But, Albus is so different, you can't compare them. I often think they each resemble their namesake." Ginny said.

Harry could only agree with this. He loved his younger son unconditionally, but he always had some difficulties understanding the boy, even as a kid. Albus had a way of looking directly through you, like he was gauging and analyzing you, the same way Severus Snape had done. He was also secretive, he only told you what he wanted you to know, it was nearly impossible to make him talk about things he didn't want to. Harry was sure he would make a great Legilimens, like his namesake, but, saying he was like the deceased potion Master would not be right either, because Albus was outgoing, fun, charming and always smiling. Those were not qualities you could easily associate with Severus Snape.

Harry hadn't been surprised when he had known his son was sorted in Slytherin and he was happy that Albus had immediately fit in. James, on the other hand, was a true Gryffindor with all the good and the bad aspects that were linked to it. Albus was brilliant in school and he didn't need to study that much to get good grades, which was not necessarily a good thing. James wasn't so talented in school and he had worked like crazy to be admitted in the Auror specialization program. He had always wanted to follow his father's path and Harry was very proud. Albus wasn't so sure about what his future career plans were, he had often talked about being a mediwizard or even a potion Master, but he hadn't talked about it for a while. Harry didn't see how someone could voluntarily choose to be a potion Master, since this subject was repulsive to him, but he knew potions were Albus favourite class, he had even taken the optional potion classes. Those were very difficult and long studies, Harry knew his son was talented enough to be able to succeed, but he wondered if his younger son was prepared to work this hard, because he would not be able to rely simply to his talent to go through those studies, he'll have to work too and Albus was not used to do this.

When his son had told him he was gay, it had come as a shock to Harry. He was certainly not prepared for it. He could never forget that day. Albus had wanted to talk to them in private, they were gathered around the kitchen table. His son was obviously nervous, his voice and hands were shaking when he had said: "Mom, Dad, there's something I have to tell you." Ginny had smiled and put a reassuring hand on their son's like she knew what was coming. Then, he had said it: "I… I'm not…well, what I want to say is, I'm…gay…". Ginny had immediately taken him in her arm and she had told him she was so proud of him and that she loved him and soon, they were both crying, Albus from relief and Ginny because her son was.

Harry had remained seated and he didn't know what to say. He wanted to take his son in his arms too, but he was unable to move. His son had just told him his biggest secret, he was crying, he needed his support and acceptance, but he had been unable to do anything and it had made him feeling like the worst father on earth. Why was he incapable of taking his son in his arms and to comfort him? He knew he loved his son more than life itself, his family was all that counted for him, but he had remained seated. When the embrace between his son and his mother had ended, they had looked at him, to see his reaction and he was still frozen on his chair. All he had managed to say was : "It's ok." To this day, he couldn't believe he had just said that. His son and Ginny had looked at him in silence for a while and then, when they had concluded he wouldn't say anything else, they had started to chat and Harry had gone outside for a stroll.

He had never thought one of his children would be gay, he wasn't homophobic, it just wasn't something he had thought about before. He wanted his children to be happy and to live a normal life, because he didn't get to have that himself. He knew that being gay could be difficult, he didn't want his son to be bullied or to be an outcast because of his sexual orientation. He feared Albus would suffer because of this. It is true that the world was changing, more and more wizards and muggles were out nowadays and they were well accepted by society, but it was far from perfect.

Harry had wondered for a long time if he had done something bad as a parent. Maybe Albus was just mistaken, maybe he was unsure. He had read a stupid muggle book on the subject and it hadn't helped him at all. He wanted to support his son, he loved him, but he just felt guilty. He felt this may be his fault, he felt he had missed something, he also thought his son would be angry at him for the way he had reacted and he felt guilty not to be able to be as supportive as Ginny was. Ginny had accepted it immediately, she hadn't even been that surprised by the news. When Harry had asked her why it was so, she had answered that a mother always knew in her heart about those kinds of things. He did not tell her this seemed like bullshit, but he thought it.

Of course, the Boy Who Lived knew some gay wizards, but he didn't have any family or friends who were. Well, there had always been rumours about Charlie Weasley, but that was something the Weasley family just didn't talk about openly. There was this Auror with whom he was working, she was a lesbian, she was married to another woman and they had three kids. Harry had begun talking with her more after Albus' coming out, to get some advice and she had provided them happily. Harry now felt more equipped to interact with Albus concerning his sexual orientation. Unfortunately, the boy didn't speak to him about it and Harry felt Albus was thinking he was not accepting him totally and it wasn't the case. Maybe Harry was a little unnerved when he was thinking about the day he would meet his first boyfriend, but he was also looking forward to it, because, more than anything, he wanted his son to be happy.

"Stop worrying and try to get some sleep, we'll have a very big day tomorrow. When are we supposed to arrive at the Burrow again?" Harry asked Ginny.

"She told us to arrive at three… Maybe you're right about Albus, but I'll try to talk to James tomorrow just to clear my mind." Ginny said before kissing her husband good-night.


	9. Chapter 9: Deck the Halls

**Chapter 9 : Deck the Halls**

"Scorpius, my dear, please come down, the guests are here!" Astoria Malfoy said cheerfully, while knocking at her son's door.

Scorpius answered her that he was coming. He then heard her mother's high heels hitting the stone floors as she was hurrying to the hall of the manor to greet her guests. He took a last look at the mirror and fixed his grey tie once more. He was wearing a classic black robe with a white shirt and a tie. Christmas at the Malfoy Manor was always a very formal event. Scorpius listened to the voices he heard coming from the first floor and tried to guess who had arrived yet.

"Scorpius!" Rodolfa Greengrass, her cousin, exclaimed upon seeing him and he hurried down the steps to greet her.

She truly was the only member of his family with whom he could be himself, because she was very different from the rest of the family. Her mother was Mirna Greengrass and her father was Zephyr Greengrass, his mother's brother. Mr. and Mrs. Greengrass also had a one-year-old son, Junior, who was now asleep in his carrier.

While Scorpius was talking with Rodolfa, his aunt, Daphne Greengrass, arrived, she was his mother older sister and she was single. Soon after, Mr. Zabini, his wife Emma and their daughter Michelle joined them. Scorpius's grandparents, Lucius and Narcissa were living at the manor with them and, thus, they were already on the premises. His grandfather on his mother's side was dead and his grandmother was now living in France and was too sick to travel.

The Malfoy house elves had decorated the vast manor and it was truly beautiful. Mirna Greengrass, Rodolfa's mother, complimented Astoria on the decorations. Narcissa motioned the guest in a large room which could be described as a sort of living room. Carpets covered the stone floors, there was a fire burning in the gigantic fireplace, a heavily decorated Christmas tree almost touched the already high ceiling. There were antique love seats and armchairs facing the fireplace. Big windows framed with velvet gave a view on the immense garden now covered in snow, it was dark outside, but you could see the white lights decorating the trees.

Scorpius glanced at his grandfather who was sitting alone in an armchair, a glass of scotch in his hand. He looked as if he'd rather chose to be hexed than to be here, and maybe it was the case, thought Scorpius. He didn't get along with his grandfather at all. In fact, he didn't know one person who enjoyed his presence, not even his father and particularly not his grandmother. The only one who seemed to tolerate him was his mother, Astoria. After the war, Lucius Malfoy, thanks to his lawyer, had not been condemned to be sent back to Azkaban, but he was sentenced to house arrest for life. So he could not leave the manor's ground. For a long time, Scorpius had wondered if the punishment was worst for Lucius or for the rest of his family who had to endure his unpleasant presence. Being at Hogwarts was a relief for him, because he didn't have to see his grandfather every day. Fortunately, the manor was big enough to avoid him.

He really enjoyed his grandmother's company, though. She seemed very strict, but had a dry sense of humour that few people knew about. She loved her grandson more than anything and they had always been close. Also, she was the only one who confronted her father about things and she still talked to him like he was a kid. Scorpius found that very enjoyable, even though he never let it show in front of his father.

"… and then, I got kicked out of the team." Rodolfa said to Albus as they were sitting next to the fireplace, grabbing some hors d'oeuvre resting on a magically flying plate.

"That's too bad." Scorpius replied.

"I guess Jamie was right, I'm not good under pressure. Also, after Albus's accident, I just became so stressed, I wasn't able to play anymore." Rodolfa explained, taking a bite of the starter.

Michelle Zabini seated next to them. "It's your fault we lost the match, you're the most lame keeper I have ever seen, I don't even understand how you got to be on the team in the first place!"

Scorpius frowned menacingly at the fifth-year student. He had never liked her, she was acting as if she was superior to everyone, but the truth was she lacked the elegance and the class she pretended to have.

"I strongly suggest you take back what you just said." Scorpius told the light brown-skinned girl.

Michelle laughed with disgust. "Do you think you're scaring me, faggot?"

Before Scorpius could reach for his wand, Rodolfa put a hand on her cousin's arm. "She's not worth it, come with me."

Rodolfa led him to the other side of the room where their aunt, Daphne, was talking with her sister, Astoria. Daphne was wearing a green dress which was cut low in the back and her long blond hairs were loose. Astoria was wearing a deep blue dress with the diamond necklace her husband had given her for their last wedding anniversary. Astoria immediately noticed the upset look on her son's face and wondered what had happened.

"Scorpius, every time I see you, you're looking more and more like your father." Daphne Greengrass said, while taking a sip in the cup of red wine she was holding.

Astoria laughed in a high-pitched voice. "I know! When I look at him, I see Draco at his age. This isn't making us younger, I shall say!" Astoria said, while putting an affectionate hand on her son's shoulder.

"Since you're now in your sixth year at Hogwarts, this means you already passed your O.W.L. Have you decided what you want to specialize in? Will you pursue a career at the Ministry, like your father and grandfather?" Daphne asked.

"Wel… Not exactly. I'm considering becoming a teacher…" Scorpius began to say.

"He has not decided yet. We'll have to discuss about it. Scorpius has very good grades and he could be accepted in any specialization, so he should choose something where his talent will be recognized and exploited to its fullest." Draco Malfoy said, cutting his son and joining the conversation.

Draco Malfoy was wearing a dark-green robe which must have cost a small fortune. His blond hairs were pulled back, as usual, and he was holding a glass of wine. He put an arm around his wife's waist while talking and she gave him a loving smile. They were a happy couple and it showed.

"I'm sure you would make a wonderful teacher Scorpius." Daphne said ignoring Draco's frown when he heard her words.

"Thank you." Scorpius murmured, not looking at his father, knowing his opinion on the subject.

Draco Malfoy wanted his son to pursue a prestigious career. Being a teacher was too ordinary. Even Neville Longbottom had managed to become a teacher at Hogwarts, for Merlin's sake! He wanted his only son to aspire to greater goals, he wanted nothing but the best for him.

"Draco, we were just talking about how your son resembles you, now that you're standing next to each other, it's even more striking!" Daphne said, to change the subject, feeling the tension rising.

"People used to tell the same about my father and me, but I think the resemblance is even stronger between Scorpius and me." Draco agreed, nodding slowly and looking at his son proudly. "One day, I'm sure, he'll have a son who will look just like him, Malfoy's genetic tends to be very strong."

"Your girlfriend is very lucky to go out with a boy as charming as you, Scorpius." Daphne added.

"I don't have a girlfriend." Scorpius muttered.

He didn't like where this conversation was heading. He always tried to avoid the "girlfriend" subject with his family and even with his friends, because he was not a good liar. He hated lying and pretending, but he was forced to do so when they teased him with this. His father never did, but his mother and worse, his aunt, were asking him all the time about his alleged girlfriends.

"Well, this friend of yours, Lysander Scamander, she is indeed blond." Astoria said with a knowing smile.

"Mother, she's not my girlfriend, she is just a friend." Scorpius sighed, tensed.

Astoria pouted, Scorpius always answered this, but she knew there was something more about this girl, his son was always hanging out with her or writing to her. Scorpius was sixteen years old and had never presented a girlfriend to Draco and her. He must have had girlfriends, but he kept denying it and Astoria longed for him to present her a cute girl. Her son was beautiful, intelligent, charming and sweet, she thought, the girls must be all over him.

"Remember you were saying the same regarding Draco at first to our father, Astoria." Daphne smiled.

"If I had told Father the truth about Draco, he would never have let him sleep at home." Astoria added.

"Mother… please!" Scorpius muttered, through clenched teeth.

"Scorpius is right, she's not his girlfriend. In fact, I think Scorpius could easily find better than this Scamander girl, she's Lovegood's daughter, after all." Draco added, lifting one brow in a very snob demeanour.

Draco had never liked this girl, mostly because she was the nut girl's daughter, but also because she was too free-spirited. She didn't care about decorum and good manners. She just said what she wanted, when she wanted and didn't care one bit about what other people could think of her.

Rodolfa motioned forward, taking her cousin's arm. "If you'll excuse us, Scorpius has promised me to show me the library you just renovated and I'd really like to see it before we eat."

Scorpius was immensely grateful to his cousin for saving him from this painful conversation. He excused himself and walked away from the room with her. He wondered how she had known he wanted to get away so badly from his family's interrogation, but, truly, he didn't really care and was only glad it was over.

The rest of the evening went well. They ate in the dining room later and where all sorts of very refined and delicious dishes were served. There was more food than they could have ever eaten and every guest complimented Astoria, even though, Scorpius knew, it had all been prepared by their house elves. Lucius Malfoy left the table before dessert and that angered Narcissa Malfoy, his wife, who muttered inaudible words in his direction. Scorpius was seated next to her and thought he had heard her say "old prick", but that didn't seem possible to him, so he just tried to forget it.

When the reception was over, the guests retreated to their assigned guest room, because they had been invited to spend the night at the manor. The Zabini family had declined the invitation and Scorpius was glad he didn't get to see Michelle's face the next day.

Scorpius sighed as he closed the door to his room behind him, relishing the calm. He tossed his clothes on an armchair, put on a t-shirt and boxers, brushed his teeth and got in his bed. About twenty minutes later, when he was about to fall asleep, he heard a pecking sound coming from the window. It was certainly one of his friends' owl, maybe Lysander's, sending him a letter. He had sent his friends presents and Christmas greetings the day before and had received theirs, also.

Scorpius got up and opened the window to let the owl in and quickly closed it behind the bird, because it was very cold outside. The bird perched himself on the top of the bed head. Scorpius was surprised, because he did not know that owl. He approached it and it gave him its foot. There was a magically shrunk package and a card attached to it. He took out his wand and murmured a spell and the package returned to its original size. He opened the envelope first, wondering who this was from. " _Merry Christmas! From Mr. Fox_ ," Was all that was written in the card, but it was enough to drain all the blood from his face.

He got back in his bed and looked at the card once more, it was the same handwriting he was so used to, but this was impossible. The other man did not know his identity, he couldn't have sent him this present. He bit his lip, hesitating to open the package, wondering if this could be a prank, but the handwriting was identical and no one knew except for Lysander and she would never do such a thing.

He had thought he had screwed things up between the other boy and him, when he had not shown up at the astronomy tower that night. When he had written back to the other man, before their date, he had been decided to meet him, but when the day had come, fear had started to grow in him.

He remembered that evening; how he had taken a shower, brushed his teeth and his hair and had walked to the astronomy tower, rubbing his damp hands against his slacks. He had then climbed all the steps to the top and had spent fifteen minutes staring at the door leading to the top. Finally, he had pushed open the door, carefully, not to make noises and he had looked outside. He had seen the silhouette of a man, sitting on a bench, but it was too dark to recognize him. Then, panic had taken the hold of him, he had closed the door and ran back to his dormitory, unable to stop himself.

He was a coward. He was so afraid to be hurt, so afraid to be rejected; he had preferred to ruin it for himself. He had not told Lysander about his date, because he had not wanted her to know if it went wrong. He should have told her, because he knew she would have forced him to go back to that tower, but now it was too late. He would never get to see him again and he felt so stupid and ashamed. He had written an apology letter the next day, but the letter had remained in the book and he had not gotten an answer, then, it had been the holidays.

Now, Scorpius smiled while looking at the card, not believing he now had a second chance offered to him. He wouldn't mess up this time, he promised himself. He unwraps the small package and opened it, it contained a silver watch. He knew it was a muggle watch, because he had studied it in school, it didn't work with magic, but with something else. He approached it from his ear and was delighted to hear the small ticking of the jewel. He was fascinated by the unusual and rare object, there was a small cylindrical thing on the side of the face, but he dared not touch it, not wanting to break his gift. This truly was the best gift he had received this year, he loved it, he had never had a muggle object before. He put it on his wrist and it fitted just right.

He immediately started to write back, now completely awake. He fed the owl which was still resting on the bed head, its eyes closed. When he finished writing his letter, he attached the letter to the owl's foot and started fumbling in his room to find something to give the other man. He obviously did not have the time to go shopping. Finally, he chose to send him the only logical gift, his own magical pocket watch.

He opened the window, his heart racing, and looked at the owl as it flew away in the dark and cold night.

* * *

"Stop looking at him, you'll make him come here!" Lily whispered angrily at Rose who laughed.

Lily had told her that Lorcan was sending her letters and strange gifts which looked a lot like junk to her. It had begun a few months ago and it didn't seem it would end soon. Lorcan Scamander was Lysander's younger brother, he was in his third year at Hogwarts and he was in Hufflepuff. He looked and acted a lot like his mother, Luna Lovegood, and was considered weird by the other students, unlike his sister who was pretty popular. Unfortunately for Lily, who wasn't interested at all, it seemed the boy was in love with her. She had managed to avoid him in Hogwarts, but that evening, he was always near her, he had even managed to sit next to her during the meal.

Rose found this situation very amusing, because of the way her little cousin was reacting and she didn't hide her smile.

Hugo walked up to them and Rose smiled at her twin brother. Hugo was taller than his sister and had brown hair, Rose was a red head, but she dyed her hair dark chocolate, she couldn't hide the freckles that were covering her entire body, thanks to her dad. Those freckles were a very touchy subject and everybody knew she hated them. Her brother resembled more their mother and had fair skin.

"So Lily, still longing for something you will never get?" Hugo teased, grinning mischievously.

Lily scowled at her cousin, unsure of what he meant and wishing he hadn't meant what she thought he had.

Hugo's smile didn't flicker as he sustained his cousin's stare with a big smile. "Rose told me you have a crush on Professor Frazier." Hugo said, while putting his arm around his sister's shoulders.

Lily's stare then turned to Rose who didn't seem affected at all by the dagger's coming out of her cousin's eyes. "You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone!" Lily hissed at her.

"I didn't tell anyone, just my twin brother, it doesn't count, he's not really someone." Rose explained, like it was making any sense.

"I'm glad you consider me less than someone, dear sister." Hugo replied sarcastically.

Rose smiled at him. "You know what I mean, dear brother. We shared the same uterus for almost nine months, there's no secret between us. He won't tell anyone, don't worry."

Lily sighed loudly, there was no reasoning her cousin and, anyways, it was now too late, the cat was out of the bag. "Ok, but now, there's no telling anybody else! Promise me!" Lily said, looking intently at the twins.

"I solemnly swear…" Rose began.

"…that I'm up to no good!" Hugo finished laughing. "Sorry, it was so tempting… But ok, I swear I won't tell your dirty little secret."

Lily shook her head in dismay. She didn't want the world to know she had a crush on Louis Frazier, their potion teacher. It had begun last spring and at first she was in denial, but now she couldn't stop thinking about him. He had so much style with his long light brown hair, he was looking young and he was about thirty years old, he also had a foreign accent which Lily found very sexy. He was always smiling to his students, making jokes and they loved him and Lily loved him too. She found herself blushing each time he would come to her table to look at her potion. Once, he even held her hand for a few seconds, showing her how to cut into chips dark maple roots; she had nearly fainted.

She lost herself in his green eyes when he was giving explanations and, often, her class partner had to repeat the professor's instructions, because she had not registered a word, lost in her contemplation. She was not stupid though, she knew he was not interested in her. He was a thirty-year-old teacher and the wedding ring he was always wearing made it clear her chances were nonexistent, but still, she couldn't change the way she was feeling.

"So, what is the lot of you talking about?" James Potter asked them as he walked towards them.

Christmas Eve at the Burrow was a casual enough event and James was the only one wearing a suit. He didn't wear a tie, though, and, even if it was her brother, Lily found him very classy and sexy. She was sure it was Gabriella who had told James to wear this, because James was not habitually wearing very fashionable clothes. He was more of a believer in practical, comfortable clothes.

"We're talking about potion classes." Rose answered with an innocent grin.

Lily frowned at her cousin and James noticed it, but he did not utter a word.

"Where is Gabriella?" Lily asked to change the subject.

James pointed out the small group speaking next the Christmas tree, Gabriella was among them, she was wearing a short red dress and she was speaking with Ginny, Hermione and George's wife, Angelina. Seated on the mismatched couches facing the fireplace, Ron, Harry, Arthur Weasley and George were speaking together. Luna, her husband Rolf and Molly Weasley were in the kitchen, preparing some snacks even if, after the supper they had had, no one was hungry, but Mrs. Weasley couldn't be stopped. The other guests were all talking in small groups, Percy, his wife and their two now adult kids were there, there was also George and Angelina's kids who were speaking with Charlie Weasley. Bill and his family were the only absent, because they were invited to Fleur's family and they alternated between the two families each year.

Lily lifted one brow. "Maybe they're planning your wedding." His younger sister suggested, teasingly, when she saw the women laughing.

James's smile wavered only slightly. "I'm sure they are…" He muttered.

Seated in the stairs, apart from the loud conversations and laughter, Albus was watching the party going on from a distance. He had participated in the conversations all evening, he had joked with his cousins, laughed with his uncles, helped his grandmother to clean after the meal, but he needed some calm at this moment. He felt a little tired and he needed to be alone for a minute or two. Lysander Scamander saw him in the stairs and came to sit next to him. She was in the same year as him in Hogwarts, but she was in Ravenclaw. They didn't talk much at school, but he liked her. She was always so calm, she was also brilliant and free-spirited. However, she wasn't as spaced out as her brother Lorcan. Nothing seemed to touch her, like her mother, she acted as if she did not care what others would think of her.

"I love Christmas decorations, I think we should decorate all year round, but then, I guess, it wouldn't be special anymore and we would just get used to it. Like we're used to the stars, but that doesn't mean they are less beautiful just because we are used to them. What do you think?" Lysander asked.

When the girl had seated next to him, Albus had thought she was going to ask him if he was ok, he was prepared to dismiss her, so he was taken aback by her question and it took him a few seconds before being able to answer the unexpected question.

"I… I guess you're right." He replied.

She nodded silently, like she was meditating on what they had just established. The silence went on for a long time between them, Lysander did not seem to mind, her gaze was lost in the crowd and she was slowly moving to the smooth Christmas's music playing. Albus was not used to be with someone so calm, his friends were talking all the time, Jean in particular. There was no awkwardness in this silence, though, in fact, it was kind of relaxing.

"So, what plans do you have for the rest of the holidays?" Albus asked.

A loud laughter came from Percy's daughter who was standing with her brother, across the room. Lysander looked at them for a moment. "I'll finish writing my Charms' essay and I'll hang out with Scorpius and maybe with Vivian. Thomas is in Italy with his parents, so he won't join us." Lysander answered.

It was odd to think that she was Scorpius Malfoy's close friend, there were even rumours among the Hogwarts's students that they were more than friends.

"Charms essay… It is only due in one month, I could not get myself to work on it during the holidays, I'm more of a last-minute achiever... I admire you, though." Albus winced, he had not started any of his homework yet. "I forgot you were friends with Malfoy,." The boy lied, curious to know what it could be like to be friends with the blond boy his brother and sister despised. It seemed difficult to believe Luna Lovegood's daughter could be friends, or more, if you believed the gossips, with Draco Malfoy's only son.

"Yes, we're very close." Lysander answered with a dreamy smile.

Albus lifted one eyebrow, his taste for gossips having been now officially tickled. "Oh, I didn't know you were…that close."

"We're not going out together or sleeping with one another, if it's what you are hinting at. We're just very close friends." Lysander replied, knowing what the dark-haired boy was implying.

Albus was surprised by the frank answer he got from her, but he did not show it.

"I was not suggesting that." He replied.

Lysander gave him a knowing look. "First, we both know you were, indeed, suggesting that. Second, I'm aware of all the gossips, but truly, he is only a friend. He's an exceptional person, I'm sure you two would get along very well, you have a lot in common, in fact."

"I don't think so… he's still a Malfoy…" Albus responded with a smirk.

"Sure and you're a Potter who was sorted in Slytherin and from what I've heard, you fit right in, so, maybe you should try to be a little open-minded." Lysander replied, smiling candidly, not a trace of anger in her voice.

This girl was truly something, thought Albus. He didn't think she was right about him and Scorpius, but he didn't want to argue about it. It didn't matter anyway, because he would never hang out with the blond ravenclaw boy, they were too different.

Albus turned to her cousin. "Maybe we should go back with the others."

She nodded and they went back to the living room.

* * *

Jamie had not realized fully that she would never see her aunt ever again, until Christmas Eve came. Then, she not only knew it, she felt it, like a heavy weight was pushing her stomach in. She had gone flying to try to think about something else, she had tried to work on her Charms' essay, without being able to concentrate for more than a few minutes and now she was trying to read a book, but she didn't care about it and her thoughts were wandering elsewhere.

The memories of past Christmases with her aunt were haunting her. Since she did not talk to her family, they had always celebrated Christmas together, only the two of them. It was perfect for Jamie, she didn't need a big party, just being with her beloved aunt, drinking spiced wine, playing wizard chess next to the fireplace, talking, that was all she had ever wanted for Christmas.

The other students who were staying in Hogwarts for the holidays were gathered in the Great Hall, celebrating together, but Jamie didn't feel like joining them. Sadness had crept up on her and she didn't want anyone to see her in this state. She had cried many times at night the last few days, but she didn't feel like crying anymore. She just felt this weight, pushing and pushing on her, making breathing difficult and eating impossible.

She wondered where Anna Goyle was. She too was alone and, knowing her, she mustn't have joined the other students in the Great Hall. In the last few days, they had spent a lot of time together, being the only slytherins who had remained in Hogwarts for the holidays. Jamie enjoyed the other girl's company, more than she had ever thought she would. Anna always showed that serious, stern-looking face and she didn't like to chat much, but she was very cultivated and, under her emotionless attitude, she was, in fact, a deadpan. Upon getting to know her, Jamie had realized how difficult it must have been for the tough-looking girl to speak to her like she had done after the Quidditch practice, when she had told her about the abuse she was suffering, because she never talked about herself. Actually, she had shut down completely when Jamie had tried to speak to her about it again.

On the other hand, she was always there to listen to Jamie who was not the type to talk about her emotions either. Jamie was glad that she got to know Anna better, even if it was due to such undesired events. She felt like the other girl had appeared in her life at just the right time, when she needed her the most even though she hadn't known just how much she needed her, before.

Jamie got up, as bad as she was feeling, she couldn't leave the other girl alone for Christmas Eve and, also, they had already agreed they would celebrate it together. She didn't have to search for a long time to find the curly haired slytherin, she was seated on her bed, in her dormitory, doing homework.

"Do you know you're breaking a very important rule right now?" Jamie asked, a faint smile on her lips.

Anna stopped writing and lifted one intrigued brow, looking at her Captain.

"It is universally forbidden to do homework on Christmas Eve. You should be glad it is me who caught you, I won't tell the Auror if you stop this right now." Jamie added, trying to be funny, sitting herself on the other girl's bed.

Anna was wearing a white shirt and a dark blue sweater and she was wearing glasses. Jamie had never seen the girl with glasses before and she wondered if she only wore them for reading. She thought the beater looked very intellectual like that and it clashed with her usual tough, sportive look.

"You're not in the Great Hall with the others." Anna replied, continuing to write her essay.

"You're not either." Jamie replied.

Anna put the parchment on which she was writing aside and lift her gaze. "No, you said we would celebrate together, so…what do you want to do?"

The weight on Jamie's chest lifted itself for a moment and she couldn't suppress the smile that settled on her lips. She was shocked to realize how glad she was that Anna had not forgotten and was willing to spend the evening with her.

"I don't know… We could just stay here, play chess and drink butter beers, I've got some in my dorm." Jamie answered, while Anna was silently gazing at her. "Or we can do something else if you don't want to…"

"That suits me just fine, in fact. I just thought you would have more…complicated plans." Anna replied.

"Do you see me as someone with complicated tastes?" Jamie asked, frowning a little.

Anna shrugged. "Maybe."

They played chess for a while, drinking butter beers and some Fire Whiskey Jamie had kept in reserve for a special occasion. She had decided this was a good enough occasion. They were both pretty drunk and they were just lying on Anna's bed, talking with one another, among the chess pieces. Jamie found the curly-haired girl was way more talkative when drunk.

"Do you know what I would truly want?" Jamie asked, lying on her back and stretching her arms as if she wanted to touch the ceiling.

Anna shook her head, she had no idea what the other girl wanted.

"I would really like to take a bath, a very long, warm bath, with bubbles…" Jamie answered, dreamily.

Anna snorted. "A bath?"

Jamie pushed the other girl's shoulder. "Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not! It's just so… simple." Anna smiled faintly.

"Isn't there something you really want?" Jamie asked, while taking a sip from the whiskey bottle.

Anna shrugged. "I don't know. I'd have to think about it…"

"Common' now, there must be something." Jamie said, while giving the alcohol bottle to the other girl who took a sip.

"Well… there's something, but it's stupid…it's not…" Anna hesitated, even if she was drunk, she was still holding back, not used to chatting.

Jamie gave her an encouraging smile, touching the other girl's knee, feeling the fabric of her jeans under her finger tips.

"I'd like to have a dog. I've always wanted one and… I would really like to have one." Anna finally said.

Jamie could not believe the tough-looking girl in front of her, with her impassible stare and serious tone had just told her the thing she wanted the most was a dog. The conversation then went on their last Quidditch match.

"Do you have someone in mind to replace Greengrass as keeper?" Anna asked.

Jamie sighed heavily to show her discouragement. She had thought about this non-stop since their last game, but she still had no idea about who could replace the girl. None of the students she had seen at the tryouts had made an outstanding performance and, even if some had told her she couldn't make a worst choice than Greengrass, she disagreed, because the girl looked like she had potential during practices.

"I don't know, I'll ask around when the classes resume, I have no one in mind. I'll ask around, maybe there's a really good keeper who didn't do the tryouts for some reason and who would want to join the team halfway through the school year when we're clearly losing the cup this year…" Jamie replied in a sarcastic way.

Anna laughed for the first time since Jamie knew her and she got up on one elbow to look at the girl, making sure she wasn't just having a seizure, which was more probable.

Like she had just realized what she had done, Anna stopped laughing abruptly and gazed at Jamie. "What is it?" She asked.

"It's just… it's the first time I've heard you laugh… ever. So, I wondered if you were not having a seizure or something…" Jamie answered, cheekily.

Anna gave her a haughty look. "Maybe it's because you're not funny enough to make me laugh…"

"What did you just say? I'll have you know I'm very funny, but maybe my sense of humour is too… elevated for your comprehension." Jamie Nott replied with repressed smile.

Against all odds, Anna laughed again and Jamie thought she liked that sound and wanted to hear it again. "You must be right, I've never been the same since I was hit on the head by this Bludger, last summer."

Who could have guessed Anna Goyle could talk so much and mess around like this? Jamie wondered how many persons in the world could say they had already seen the beater opening up and joking around as she was right now. The girl was really growing on her and she regretted not talking to her before. They talked awhile more, until Jamie's eyes closed themselves as she tried to fight a yawn, she did not know what time it was, but it was very late.

Anna noticed the yawn and turned on her side to face her Captain. "We should go to sleep, it's getting late and you're falling asleep."

"You're right, good night then." Jamie responded, grabbing one of Anna's pillows and pretending to be asleep.

"This is my bed and my dormitory…" Anna said, looking at the other slytherin.

Jamie laughed, uninhibited by all the alcohol she had drunk. "Just for the night, Mommy please…" Jamie pleaded taking a small high-pitched voice.

Anna rolled her eyes. "You better not snore."

They both got inside the immaculate soft sheets and Anna muttered a spell to turn off the lamps. Jamie didn't feel the weight crushing her chest anymore and she remembered for a moment what it felt like to be well. She knew it was probably only caused by the fact that she was drunk and because she had had a good evening and that the pain would certainly be there tomorrow, but she did not mind. She was silently listening to Anna's breathing and wondered how it was possible that they were now sharing a bed, they had not even been friends a few days earlier and, now, she felt Anna was the only person who was in a position to understand her. Jamie had friends, but she couldn't talk to them about what had happened with her dad, they weren't close enough and she didn't want them to know about such a personal thing. She never talked about her father to them.

Anna wasn't at all like she thought she was and she was a little ashamed to have misjudged her before, without having even taken the time to know her. She had been on the Quidditch team with her for more than three years and they had never really talked before. In fact, Anna did not talk to anyone on the team, except to Jean, sometimes. She knew the beater despised Rodolfa, because she wasn't a good player and that annoyed her. Anna had always respected her authority has Captain of the team, though, even when Jamie had decided to give Rodolfa a chance, she had never questioned her choice. Now she knew it had been a bad choice.

Jamie heard Anna moving on her side of the bed. "Good night." Jamie whispered.

There was a small silence. "Good night." Anna replied.


	10. Chapter 10: Diagon Alley

**Chapter 10 : Diagon Alley**

Vincent was eating his breakfast with his parents when he heard a pecking sound, they all lifted their gaze and saw a small grey owl in the window above the sink. Vincent immediately got up and opened the door to let the bird in. It was snowing outside and the owl's feathers were wet and dripped on the floor.

"That's Jean's owl… It's strange, she's back home in Atlanta with her family and I'm sure she left her owl at school... What is it doing here?" Vincent said.

Vincent petted the owl's head and it then perched on his shoulder, biting affectionately at his ears. He opened the letter and upon reading the first lines, he frowned deeply. Mona, the owl, flew on the dining table and helped herself to some toast. Vincent apologized to his parents, without even looking at them, and, then, he climbed the steps to his room two at a time, shutting the door behind him. He grabbed the cellphone that was on his nightstand table and made a call. Jean and him had bought cellphones to be able to quickly talk to each other when she was back in the United States. It was Albus, who was used to all sorts of muggle things because of his father and grandfather, who had given them the idea.

"Hello my love!" Jean answered on the other end, after a few rings. She seemed to be in a very good mood.

"Hi… Can you explain me why your owl just delivered a package and a letter at my home signed Mr. Wolf?" Vincent asked. He was more incredulous than upset.

He heard his girlfriend giggling on the other end. "Oh! Then, it means I was right after all, I guess…" Jean replied, voluntarily withholding explanations from him, just to tease him.

Vincent sighed loudly. "What on Earth do you mean?"

"Well… Before leaving, I wrote a letter using a spell to copy Albus' writing, of course, and then, I sent it to Scorpius Malfoy. I instructed Mona to bring the response back to you if she got one, because I'm too far away. I wanted to know if I had been right. I guess this means I was, after all." Jean answered, a little too joyfully for Vincent's taste.

Vincent could not believe his ears, he was surely going out with the slyest student in Slytherin and this was not a small thing to say. "Salazar!"

"I know right! I knew Albus was very disappointed after he was setup and I couldn't let their… thing go to waste, just because someone was obviously too scared to show up to a date, but, first, I wanted to make sure who this mysterious coward was. Now, I have my answer… So, what as he responded?" Jean asked in an excited tone.

Vincent was still too shocked by his girlfriend elaborated scheme to react to the fact that the mysterious man was, in fact, Scorpius Malfoy, not that he cared that much it was him, but that was still surprising. Also, he didn't think his best friend would react so smoothly to the news, his last name was still Potter, after all. Vincent took the time to read the short letter, more carefully this time.

"He thanks you for the gift, he loves it… Also, he apologizes for not showing up at the astronomy tower… he wrote that he was scared… Tsss… And… Oh Salazar!... He asks us on a date in Diagon Alley next week!" Vincent replied, not believing it.

"Perfect! Weren't you supposed to see Albus next week? That would be perfect!" Jean exclaimed.

"No." He replied, in an assertive manner. He was not going to participate in this madness, thank you very much. He didn't support his girlfriend in her schemes. Moreover, he was not going to meddle in things that were none of his business. It was truly not worth risking his friendship with Albus.

"Albus won't be mad at you, my love… Don't worry." Jean said in a persuasive voice, like she could read his mind.

Vincent knew it was impossible, however, because, in their fourth year at Hogwarts, Albus had decided it would be incredibly awesome for them to learn Legilimency and, also, Occlumency. Jean, who was a gifted witch, had never been able to do it. It was very difficult for both Vincent and Albus, but for Jean, it was just impossible. She was very disappointed about it, even if Albus had told her how his own dad was very bad at it too, that didn't seem to appease her, but she never stopped trying. In the end, she was able to use some basic Occlumency spells, but that was all, not once was she able to read into the other boys' minds. Now, Vincent was glad it was so, because she already knew too much about everything.

"Jean, I won't do it. You won't win me over this time." Vincent replied in a categorical tone.

"I don't want you to do it for me, but for Albus. Imagine that Scorpius is his soulmate and, because of you, he would miss it and spend the rest of his life alone and miserable…"

Vincent shook his head and laughed. "First, it would be highly surprising that Scorpius Malfoy is Albus's "soulmate"… My guess is, he'll deeply regret all the paper and ink he wasted on those damned letters when he realizes who he was writing them to. Then, he'll find some cute guy to change his mind with, like he always does, and he'll make us promise not to ever talked about the time he had a crush on Malfoy…"

He heard the American girl sighed on the other end and could visualize the frown she must have on her face. He couldn't help but smile when he pictured her.

"Wouldn't you find it highly entertaining to watch Albus's reaction when he'll see it was Scorpius all along?" Jean asked, mischievously.

Vincent shook his head. "I'm not some kind of pervert stalker who'll spy on them for YOUR sake…"

"If you don't oblige, there are some things I could say to Albus… you know… about that time in your fifth year…" Jean said, in her most slytherin tone.

Pause.

"Am I dreaming, or is my girlfriend threatening to blackmail me to my best friend?" Vincent replied in a falsely outraged manner.

He recognized her immediately at this, she was not in the snake's house for nothing and he likes her this way. He wished they weren't so far away, because he began to have such nasty thoughts…

"In this case, I guess I don't have a choice…" He replied with a smirk, because he knew she would carry out her threat and he really did not want his friend to know about some…things he had done.

The consequences of organizing a blind date between Scorpius and Albus would never amount at those he would have to face if Jean opened her mouth. Also, he had to admit he wanted to see his best friend reaction this could be quite amusing.

"I love you too!" Jean exclaimed, laughing.

Vincent shook his head, he was glad she was his girlfriend and not his enemy, because she was redoubtable…

* * *

Albus was putting his woollen winter coat on when his mother walked to him in the entrance of their home.

"Where are you going again?" Ginny asked with a smile.

"Diagon Alley, with Vincent. I won't be back for supper." Albus answered for at least the third time, his mother had always been very protective of her children, too much, according to them.

James had left a few days earlier and Albus had been glad to receive Vincent's invitation to spend the afternoon at Diagon Alley with him, he was tired of staying at home with his parents and his little sister.

"Okay, have fun then and be careful." Ginny told her son and she asked a kiss on the cheek before he left. "When you were small you were kissing me all the time! You never had enough!" She laughed when he complained.

Since he didn't have his apparition permit, he took the Knight Bus to the Leaky Cauldron. He knew his sister hated it, because it made her sick, but he liked it because it was cheap and quick enough. He arrived early and decided to order a butterbeer while waiting for his friend. He seated himself in a wooden bench seat and took a sip of the hot liquid. He saw someone coming in his direction and clenched his teeth when he immediately recognized his ex-lover, knowing his day had just been spoiled.

"Can I sit with you for a minute? We need to talk." Mathias asked with a nervous smile, his hands in his pockets.

Albus scowled at him. "No. I'm waiting for someone."

"Did you get my letter?" The gryffindor asked, losing his smile a bit, but still trying to talk to him.

Albus shrugged and took another sip of his drink.

Mathias sighed. "Your sister told me you would be here today."

"I see." Albus replied, wishing the other man would go away and thinking he would have to have a good conversation with his nosy little sister.

"I'm sorry…" Mathias tried to say.

"Yeah, you already said that in your letter, but the thing is, I don't give a damn. Now, leave me alone." Albus cut him dryly, feeling he was beginning to lose his temper.

"Albus, please, I… I miss you…" Mathias said in a small voice.

Albus got up and grabbed his coat, he now had had more than enough. He exited the restaurant, trying to put his coat on, but his right arm kept missing the sleeve, like it was trying to taunt him, Mathias on his heels. Diagon Alley was crowded this day and Albus didn't want to make a scene, because he knew Mathias would not leave him alone no matter what he would do.

He engaged a small brick alley between two shops and asked Mathias one more time to leave him alone, but his ex-lover was not listening to him and kept telling him all sorts of pathetic nonsense he did not believe for one second. He knew him too well to believe all his empty excuses.

"What do you want from me, Mathias? Doesn't Zabini satisfy all your needs? If it's my ass you're missing, well too bad for you, you should have thought better before! Leave me alone, I don't want to be your friend, I'm done with you!" Albus finally shouted while pushing his ex-lover on the brick wall, all his recent frustrations taking the hold of him.

Mathias' didn't fight the other boy. "I miss you…" He said in a low voice.

Albus let go of him, not wanting to waste more time with him. Vincent was certainly looking for him at this moment. As he was walking away, he was violently pushed face against the cold wall and he felt the gryffindor wand digging in his neck. His own wand was in his pocket, he would not be able to grab it before the other man could react. Mathias pressed his body against Albus's, breathing heavily.

"I tried to apologize to you, but I should have known you wouldn't listen to me, you're too darn stubborn." Mathias said in Albus's ear, while pulling at his hair, pushing him roughly against the wall.

Albus clenched his teeth. "Let go of me."

Mathias tightened his grip and pressed himself against Albus's body. "I know you want me too."

Suddenly, Albus laughed in a sour manner. "You're so pathetic, I can't believe it! Craving for something you'll never have again and all of it is your entire fault. Poor Michelle, does she know you're thinking about me when you're fucking her?"

Mathias tried to hit Albus's head on the wall, but the slytherin protected his head with his arm and struggled with the other man. Mathias then tried to push Albus' on the ground and that was all the diversion Albus needed to grab his wand and cast a stunning spell. Mathias fell to the ground, immobilized, a surprised expression on his face.

Albus walked away without a glance at the boy, hoping this time he would leave him be. He walked to the Leaky Cauldron and came face to face with Vincent as he was exiting the restaurant. He smiled when he saw Albus and then he looked at his clothes and frowned.

"Did you get into a fight?" Vincent asked looking at his friend's creased clothes and hair intently.

Scorpius was always perfectly dressed and his hairs were always styled, so this was unusual.

"Just encountered Mathias, he tried to jump me in an alley, but I stunned him… he'll recover in a few hours… I guess," Albus said with a false smile.

Vincent stared at him. "Are you okay?"

Albus nodded. "Yes, he won't be bothering me anytime soon, I'm pretty sure."

"He went very far this time, you don't reassure me… What's his problem anyway, he was the one cheating on you!" Vincent said, lifting his hand in a discouraged gesture.

"It's not important." Albus replied as he tried fixing his clothes and his hairs.

"Okay…" Vincent said with uncertainty, understanding from his friend's attitude that he didn't want to talk about it further. He told himself that he would talk about it with him at another time, though, because the other man had clearly crossed a line there and he was worried how far this could go. Even if Albus had said the gryffindor would leave him alone, Vincent doubted that. His friend's ex-lover had always been a hothead. Vincent had never liked him and Mathias did not like him either. He thought he didn't treat his best friend like he deserved to be treated, he was often telling Albus debasing comments.

Sensing his friend was worrying, Albus smiled reassuringly at him, putting an arm on his shoulder. "So, what do you want to do, pal?"

"Well… Talking about that, there's something I didn't tell you… Please, don't get angry, it was Jean's idea and I don't know how she managed to, but she convinced me this was a good idea… It's true you've been feeling kind of down since the thing at the astronomy tower and your accident…" Vincent began to say, looking at Albus who was looking at him with curiosity.

"What are you babbling about, this doesn't resemble you…" Albus Potter said with suspicion.

"I think you need to give it a second chance… I mean… If you can be into someone enough to only write letters during months, imagine what it could be in person! Maybe it won't work, but maybe it will and you deserve it… I think, well Jean and me, we think… this was a good idea." Vincent said very rapidly.

"I'm not sure what you are talking about, Vince. Why would I be angry at you? Why are you talking about the unknown ravenclaw guy?"

"Let's just say that he isn't unknown anymore." Vincent replied.

Albus eyes got bigger, he didn't understand how his friend, or Jean, had discovered who this guy was. Moreover, he did not understand why they had not told him who it was upon learning it.

"Who is it?" He almost shouted, now filled with excitement and curiosity.

His friend played nervously with his scarf, half-smiling. "I think it is better if you discover this yourself."

"There's no way that this is going to happen, because he never came to our date, so he's clearly not interested." Albus replied impatiently.

"Yeah… He chickened out that time and he's very sorry about it, but you'll have plenty of time to talk about it yourselves, because you both have a date today. Sorry for the surprise Al."

Albus's mouth opened and closed a few times, but he was too surprised to utter a word.

Vincent put his red scarf around Albus's neck. "I told him you'll be waiting for him in front of the Leaky Cauldron with a red scarf. He'll be wearing your watch, Jean gave it to him as a Christmas present. Oh, also, he doesn't know who you are either, it will be a big surprise for both of you, I'm pretty sure… I almost forgot, he gave you this in exchange for your gift." Vincent said while giving him a silver pocket watch.

"I don't know what to say…" Albus said, while looking at the watch, still shocked.

He was not even mad, he just couldn't believe it. After what had happened with Mathias, he had felt strangely liberated. After he had read the letter from Mathias that his sister had given him before Christmas, he had almost felt bad for his ex-lover. He had wondered if he was cold-hearted to ignore his ex-lover apologies, but now he knew what a cheater and an asshole the man was and he did not regret a thing.

He had felt hurt and disappointed when Mr. Wolf had not shown up, because they had exchanged so much personal letters, he had felt like he knew him, like they were friends. Nevertheless, he wanted to give him another chance. Vincent was right, if he had fallen for this man while only writing letters to him, it could be amazing in person. He had to, at least, try.

"Wait to see who it is, before thanking me." Vincent told him.

"You make me think he's ugly when you talk like this…" Albus said.

Vincent laughed while leaving.

"Wait! Is he ugly? Why are you laughing?" Albus shouted to his friend who was backing away, smiling at him.

Albus sighed, trying to evacuate the nervousness that was now building in his body. His hands were sweating and he removed his gloves and put them in his pocket. Diagon Alley was crowded and he couldn't stop staring at each and every unknown young man, wondering who it was. With a coat on and gloves, he would never see his watch on the man's wrist, he was the one who would be recognized first.

He leaned on the restaurant's wall, waiting. Every second seemed like minutes and every minute felt like hours. He opened the pocket watch that was given to him, it was almost three o'clock. The watch was a magical one and it seemed precious, way more than the old watch he had supposedly given the other man. This one was engraved with initials: S.H.M. He reflected on that for a while, but a voice interrupted him.

"Hi."

He turned to see who had addressed him and when he saw who was standing next to him, his heart missed a beat.


	11. Chapter 11: Surprises

**Chapter 11 : Surprises**

 _Dear Teddy,_

 _I already warned you, in my last letter, that I did something I deeply regretted afterwards, now you know what it is. I should never have told Mathias where Albus was going that day… You'll see later, but this event set into motion some things I could never have anticipated. Does the fact that the consequences were unforeseeable make me feel any less guilty? Not really, but I guess it was also inevitable, one way or another…_

 _Again, I'm too far ahead, you just continue reading we'll get there eventually and when we do, please don't judge me too severely._

 _Kisses,_

 _Lily P._

 _P.S.: How is Victoire? Send me a letter as soon as you know the gender of the baby. I wish my father will let me go to France to visit you, Victoire and see the baby when he'll be born even if it is during the school year._

* * *

"Are we getting closer now? I hate surprises… Can I open my eyes, please?" Jamie asked as she let Anna lead her through the almost empty Hogwarts's passageways, not knowing where they were heading.

"No." Anna repeated for what seemed to her at least the hundredth time, but a faint smile crossed her lips which the other girl didn't see, because she had her eyes closed.

Jamie had not known Anna Goyle for a long time, but she knew she was not usually the kind to plan surprises or to play foolish games. That explained why she was so surprised when the young woman had told her she had a surprise for her and had asked her to close her eyes while she was to lead her to the alleged surprise. Jamie had frowned with suspicion, but she had obliged.

Jamie was holding the other girl's hand as they were walking and it felt strange to hold it for so long. She couldn't stop thinking about it, wondering if Anna was feeling the same way or if it was only her. It was not awkward. Her hand was warm, soft, not damp. In fact, it was quite pleasurable.

Anna stopped for a moment and told her to be careful as they entered a room. She heard the door closing behind them with a clicking sound and she asked if she could open her eyes now. Anna muttered a "yes" and she did. Jamie blinked, they were in a room where she had never been, it was a big, very luxurious bathroom with white marble floors and stained-glass windows as high as the ceiling. The colourful windows represented a mermaid. In the middle of the room, there was a bath, if you could call it that, as big as a small pool and it was surrounded by many golden taps of different shapes and sizes.

"Is this the…" Jamie began.

"Prefect's bathroom." Anna finished, nodding slightly.

"You had the password?" Jamie inquired with an amused, but suspicious glance.

Anna made a dismissing gesture. "Don't mind about that, let's just say the Hufflepuff's prefect owned me."

Jamie gave Anna a quizzical look, wondering what, in the name of Merlin, could the Hufflepuff's prefect have done to owe something to the slytherin girl. Jamie could not believe Anna had listened to her so closely and had remembered what she had told her on Christmas Eve. She didn't have to do this for her, at all. Jamie would never have thought she would go through all this trouble for her caprice. She was feeling she now owe the other woman.

"Thank you." Jamie said, touched by Anna's surprise.

Anna gave a faint smile which was a big deal coming from her and it certainly meant she was in an outmost joyful state. Jamie didn't mind the very reserved nature of Anna, she was getting used to it and it was appeasing in its own unique way. Anna had been on the team for two years and she regretted to have never taken the time to know her better, but, on the other hand, Anna had the ability to render herself almost unapproachable and when she did that, it was forbidding.

Then, Jamie took a step and touched one of the taps, pink scented water started coming from it, she activated another one and, this time, foam came out of it. The bath was enormous, but it filled itself within minutes and automatically stopped when the water reached a certain level. Jamie touched the water with the tip of her fingers, the temperature was just perfect. She then turned to Anna, who was looking at the stained-glass windows, the mermaid was moving slowly, like she was underwater, her long hairs floating around her body.

"So…"Jamie began to say.

"I'll leave, then." Anna replied.

"You can stay, I think the bath is big enough for both of us." Jamie replied, pointing at the pool that was big enough for at least twenty people, depending on how you liked to be squeezed in a tub with other humans.

"I don't have a bathing suit." Anna replied in a neutral tone.

"We're witches… This is not a problem." Jamie said, raising a brow, and then, she pointed her wand at herself and murmured a spell, her clothes transformed into a bikini harbouring the same colours her pants and sweater had.

Anna sighed, clearly uncomfortable.

"What's the matter?" Jamie asked, not understanding why she was acting so strangely. Was the other girl this modest or was it something else?

The silence between them went on for what seems to Jamie like a small eternity, because it was so awkward, but in fact, it must have lasted less than a minute. Anna seemed to be debating internally what to do. Jamie was about to say something, when her friend muttered a spell and her clothes transformed in a bathing suit too, but hers was a one-piece. It was not covering up enough skin to hide the scars presents on the curly-haired girl body, though, and Jamie couldn't help but glance at them for a second too long. She understood now why she hadn't wanted to wear a bathing suit in front of her.

Anna quickly got into the water and they didn't talk for a while. Awfully aware of what the other was thinking about, but they didn't know each other well enough to know what to say or what not to say, so they both preferred to hold their tongues.

Jamie looked at Anna as she submerged herself completely underwater and, as she resurfaced, pulling her wet hair back, her eyes closed. Jamie felt anger rising in her, she couldn't believe Anna's father had done this to her, she had not thought there would be scars; she hadn't thought it was that bad. The other girl always seemed so in control, so strong, she didn't look and acted as if she was a victim, at all. It reaffirmed Jamie's idea that you never know what is going on behind closed doors.

She wondered what was going to happen to her at the end of the school year, when she'll be forced to go back to her father's house. Will she have similar scars, then? The social worker had told her to contact her if anything happened, but she was afraid she would not be able to do so. Her father had been a Death Eater and he would still be one if he was to be given the choice. So, holding her captive was no challenge for him. She didn't have a choice, she would have to escape, one way or another, she would never go back there.

"Enjoying the bath?" Anna asked, to break the heavy silence that had settled between them.

Jamie nodded, exiting her thoughts, then she smiled. "Thank you. I didn't know you were a genie, granting wishes and everything… Does that mean I have two wishes left then?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "I guess so…"

Jamie nodded with a mischievous smile, let her head rest on the edge of the pool and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. The school would start in a few days and she would have prolonged her vacations for a while.

"So, what are your other wishes?" Anna asked after a few moments.

Jamie opened her eyes, looking at the other women. "I don't know, I'll save them for later, I don't want to waste them for something that's not worth it." She said with a blink.

Anna nodded. "This is wise of you, but you should wish for a new Keeper, because I can't swear to you I won't direct my Bludgers at her if she's on the team for our next match."

Jamie sighed heavily, knowing she was right, she had to find someone to replace Greengrass and she should start the tryouts as soon as school resumes. She had so much in her head right now, this had been relegated to a position of second importance in her mind.

* * *

Albus was very surprised when he realized that it was Scorpius Malfoy who had addressed him, but, at the same time, he felt relief wash over him. It wasn't his mysterious penpal, it was only Malfoy. The blond man and him never really spoke to one another, but, truly, he had nothing against him. He just found it strange the other boy had suddenly decided to speak to him. Albus looked around, but it seemed Scorpius was alone, he wondered what the usually discreet young man wanted with him.

"Well… hum… happy new year." Albus said, not knowing what to say and wishing to end this conversation as soon as possible, so he wouldn't miss his date.

"Happy new year." Scorpius answered faintly, like he was unsure as to what he was supposed to reply.

Albus gazed at him, not knowing why the other young man had saluted him in the first place if he had nothing to say to him, they were not even friends. He thought Malfoy was acting strangely.

"So… What are you doing here? Shopping with your father?" Albus said to break the awkward silence growing between them.

Scorpius lifted one eyebrow in a very Malfoy manner and snorted. "I'm not with my father, nor am I shopping. I'm here to meet… a friend." He explained.

Albus ignored the snort and assented. "Me either, but it seems he's late… again." He replied with a touch of annoyance in his voice, as he looked around, hoping to see a cute ravenclaw boy walk up to him, but, of course, it didn't happen.

Despite what Vincent had hinted, he was sure the man he was waiting for was good-looking. He thought, stupidly enough, that an ugly person couldn't have written those beautiful letters, he would have felt it if it was the case. He knew this didn't make sense and that beauty wasn't what defined someone, but…

"Is it Vincent MacDougal?" Scorpius asked.

"Sorry?" Albus said, inattentively, while continuing to look around trying to glimpse the one he was looking for.

"The friend you're waiting for…"

"Ah!... No, no… You don't know him. Well… M-maybe you do in fact! You're in Ravenclaw, aren't you?" Asked Albus with a sudden mischievous smile, thinking maybe Malfoy could help him find who the other Ravenclaw student was or to recognize him in the crowd surrounding them. There were a lot of students in Hogwarts and he didn't know everyone by name or even by sight, especially outside the school walls and dressed in regular clothes and especially those who were not in his House. "I would like to ask something from you, but feel free to decline if you don't want to, after all, you owe me nothing. If you oblige, I would owe you something, though."

"You truly are a real Slytherin at heart, calculating the value of helping someone and adding it to an invisible bill of… favours." Scorpius said, rolling his eyes like he couldn't believe what he had heard from Albus.

"Is this meant to be an insult?" Replied Albus cheekily, giving him his best cocky, and yet captivating, smile.

"No, only an observation. As you may know, I've got my share of slytherins at home..." Replied Scorpius in a seemingly serious manner, but Albus could see he was joking. "But I'm glad to say I'm quite different from them." He added with, this time, a superior smile.

"You have to admit your physical resemblance with your father is stunning, though." Albus replied in an amused tone, not offended, whatsoever, by the half-covered insult against Slytherin.

"I can assure you, the resemblance ends right where it starts." The blond boy said in a way that clearly meant he wanted to end the subject.

"So… going back to the initial subject. Are you, indeed, willing to help me?"

"Only to one condition." He replied.

Albus's eyes narrowed, he knew the young man would ask for something in return, no one does anything for free. Scorpius could pretend he wasn't like his father or like a slytherin, but Potter knew the fruit could not have fallen that far from the tree. He wondered what the blond man wanted in exchange.

"State your demand." Albus replied in a neutral voice, ready to start the negotiations.

"I don't want you to owe me anything in return." Scorpius said with half a smile, looking at him in the eyes intently.

Albus frowned, not quite sure he understood. He was not even friends with Malfoy and there was no reason he would just help him like that, it didn't make any sense. "You truly are a Ravenclaw, trying to play with my mind and to outsmart me. I know you're trying to trick me…"

Scorpius rolled his eyes again and sighed. "You are paranoid or what? I don't want anything in return and that's all. So, is it a deal?"

"It's a bad deal for you… but, as I understand it, it's a deal nonetheless?" Albus asked in the most suspicious tone you could think of, putting his hand in front of him, waiting for Scorpius Malfoy to shake it.

Scorpius nodded briefly, shook his hand and smiled. Albus frowned some more, not trusting the young man one bit. This was too strange, it felt like a trap.

"My first question is : Do you see any Ravenclaw student around here?" Albus said.

Scorpius looked at the people passing by and, then, he turned to the black-haired student. "Except me, none." He replied, riding up his dark-blue cashmere scarf, since it was a little windy.

Albus sighed, looking truly disappointed this time. "I should have guessed he wouldn't come."

Albus felt almost stupid he had believed this time the mysterious ravenclaw student would show up. Why would he this time? What was different? He really should forget this story and think about something else, because it was only hurting him.

"Did you have a… a date?" Scorpius asked shyly, avoiding the slytherin's eyes.

"Sort of… Well, in fact, I don't know... He has stood me up before, so I should have known he would do it again this time." Albus Potter replied, more to himself than to Scorpius.

"I see… M-maybe he has… a good explanation? Maybe he's only late or… too shy?" Scorpius said, reddening and hesitating a little.

Albus snorted, but then he smiled at Malfoy. He would have never guessed the only son of the snobbish Draco Malfoy which his uncles and his father hated so much was so naive. No wonder he had not been sorted in Slytherin, he now understood why the young man had told him earlier he was the opposite of his father. He remembered the conversation he had had with Lysander on Christmas Eve, the way she had described Scorpius. Maybe she had been right, he seemed like a pleasant person.

Albus thought about his older brother and his cousins and he wondered why they bore him this deep-rooted hatred. Except for the way he looked, he couldn't see any resemblance between Scorpius and his father, the way his family had always described him when he was younger and attending Hogwarts with them.

Many times, his uncles, and even his father, had told him stories about their time at Hogwarts and some of them contained Draco Malfoy. In each and every one of these stories, Scorpius's father was depicted has a coward who was also a pretentious spoiled-brat following his own father's idea unquestioningly. When his uncle Ron pronounced the noun Malfoy, he always made a face that clearly showed what he was thinking of this family. Albus thought his family would blackout if they could see him walking side by side and chatting with Scorpius Malfoy and he took great delight in this idea only.

Each Potter child had inherited the same hard head and untamed personality their parents had, in this, they truly was the descendant of their grandfather, James Potter. Lily was the most unruly of them all and it was a miracle she had not been suspended from Hogwarts at least once, but she was more often than not in detention on Friday nights. She didn't seem to mind, to her, talking in class, being late, running in the hallways and going out after the curfew was irrepressible.

As they walked along the streets, they chatted some more and Albus was having an unexpectedly good time. Scorpius told him each time he saw a Ravenclaw student, but none were alone or fitted the hazy description given by Albus. Potter didn't seem to mind about having been stood up anymore and, soon, they were just talking and looking at the window displays of the different stores. Albus stopped before the Quidditch Shop and looked at the new Nimbus 3500 with envy. Scorpius said he couldn't understand how he could possibly want to continue to ride a broom after the fall he had just before Christmas.

Albus shrugged and smiled, he told him Quidditch was his passion and nothing could keep him from playing. Once, he had even played with broken ribs due to an accident he suffered when he was practising alone, he hadn't told Jamie Nott, his captain, or she would never have let him play. They had won the match, this time, but, afterwards, he couldn't breathe or sleep because the pain was so intense.

"Too bad we won't win the cup this year, because of our rubbish Keeper, Rodolfa Greengrass, I can't believe Jamie did not find someone better than her, everyone would be better!" Albus exclaimed.

Scorpius winced and Albus thought it was his way of approving what he was saying.

"You must be rejoicing, since your house is probably going to win the cup, damned Greengrass!" Albus said, sighing loudly.

This time, Scorpius frowned. "Don't you know Rodolfa is my cousin?"

Albus's eyes widened for a split second, he hadn't realized this at all. He looked at the other man and made an apologizing face. "I just put my foot in my mouth, it seems."

Scorpius nodded. "Indeed."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that… But it's true, nonetheless." Albus replied.

Malfoy raised his eyebrows like he could not believe what he was hearing. "This is the worst excuse I have ever heard in my entire life." He told the slytherin student, but he couldn't help but smile a little, hiding his smile behind his scarf.

At this moment, they ran into a couple of Slytherin's students one year older than them, they both nodded at Albus Potter, but they gave Scorpius an inquiring look and they started murmuring to one another. Albus rolled his eyes.

"I hate people; they can't mind their own business." Albus Scorpius said turning around and looking at the couple walking away.

"It doesn't mind… I'm kind of used to it, being a Malfoy." Scorpius smiled, but Albus could feel his smile was false.

Albus knew Scorpius was not very popular at school, so were the children of ex-Death Eaters or of people that had associated with Voldemort during the war. Malfoy was a very discreet person, but Albus had seen him being harassed, pushed around or even insulted during their school years at Hogwarts. However, he had never seen the blond boy fight back or reply.

"I know what you mean, being a Potter." Replied Albus winking, trying to relax the mood.

Being Harry Potter's son had brought on Albus a lot of attention. It had been worst for James, being the first born, when he was a newborn, their parents had told them they couldn't leave the house without being harassed by journalists. His father, who had never been very kind to journalists of any sorts, had lost his temper on more than one occasion and their mother had had to intervene before things got out of control. Albus was used to being the son of the most famous wizard in the world, but, like his father, he hated journalists.

When he had been sorted in Slytherin, the next day, the newspaper headlines only talked about it. The press even went as far as to suggest he may be attracted to the dark arts and could turn out to be a powerful dark mage… He was eleven years old. He remembered how appalled he had been at the moment and how angry, but someone must have complained to the press, because the day after, the journalist who had written the article presented public apologies.

"We've been walking for more than an hour and a half, I guess this means I was truly stood up again." Albus laughed.

"Yeah…" Scorpius replied faintly.

"You told me you were meeting a friend, you're going to be late too, he's going to think you've stood him up." The slytherin said like he just remembered.

Scorpius nodded with hesitation, looking everywhere but at Albus. "I think he already thinks that… I-I have to tell you… I mean… I may not have told you… precisely what I... I mean… It was going well and… It's t-the first time I… You know…"

Albus's eyes narrowed as he felt many emotions rise inside of many without letting them show. He stared at Scorpius's eyes, like he could read through them. He had a flash and looked at the blond man's wrist. Scorpius followed his gaze, certainly realizing what he was looking for, so he pulled up his sleeve a little and here it was: Albus's watch. When he saw it, Albus blinked in surprise, unable to identify the emotion that washed over him like someone had emptied a bucket a water over his head, he didn't know what to say for a while. He avoided looking at Scorpius's face, not ready to face it. He would have never guessed it was him, never.

After what seems a very long time for both of them, Albus finally looked in Scorpius's eyes and he talked. "I don't want you to write to me anymore…" He said very slowly, detaching each syllable, in a very neutral tone.

Scorpius took a small step back, he was biting his lips. "I…I understand." He managed to reply, in an almost inaudible voice.

"I want you to talk to me, instead." Albus continued, gazing intensely at the other student, trying to decipher what he was thinking, almost holding his breath.

* * *

Writer's note:

Dear readers,

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was hard to write, because I thought it was a very important chapter. Also I burned my hand very badly while cooking and it took me forever to type it.

I wish you all a happy new year!

Thank you for your comments and your support,

Harley Q.


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